Shorties
by KitKat07
Summary: Short, sweet, fluffy stories. Read them! They only take a minute and they are good litte 'awww' stories. Main pairings, mostly SessRin.
1. Flower Crown

Disclaimer: If you think I own it then you need help quickly. I do not own it and never will.

Titel: Flower Crown

Summary: A young Rin makes Sesshoumaru a flower crown.

* * *

"Sesshoumaru-sama!" Rin shouted as she ran to catch up to me. 

"Hmm?" I turned to face the child whom I noted was severely grass-stained.

"Rin made you a flower crown!" she beamed as she held it out for me to see. I cringed as I saw it was pink and knew where this exchange was going.

"…flower crown?"

I did not know what to say. Maybe I could just go away and leave her to Ah and Un. But I knew I would have to face her sometime or another. Even if I left she'd just be here when I returned, clinging to AhUn and tugging on Jakken.

"Yes a flower crown! You know to put on top of you head!" she declared.

She put it on top of her own to demonstrate just how to do it. She beamed as if she knew she was torturing me, though I don't think she really did. I was left speechless. If I only had known one of the most gripping decisions of my life would involve a six-year-old.

"S-S-Sesshoumaru-sama! Rin worked so hard!" She wailed as her beaming smile turned to a frown and her chocolate eyes began tearing up.

Could I, Lord of the of the Western Lands, be even considering allowing this _human _child to decorate me with _pink flowers?_

I looked over to her and noticed her eyes were becoming more and more wet by the second. Her chocolate eyes met my depthless golden pools and I knew something:

I, Lord of the Western Lands, was more than considering allowing a human child to decorate me with pink flowers, _I was going to do it._

"Well…" I said to stop the tears from flowing, yet delay the inevitable. But I was cut off before I could somehow distract her.

"Alright! Bend down so Rin can put it on your head!" she shouted as the largest grin that would fit on her face quickly appeared.

It was as if there never were any tears. It used to be I would have killed her for following me, but now I was taking orders from a six-year-old human whelp about to be crowned **prince of the pink flowers**. Tomorrow I would be running a nursery school.

I might as well go join _Inuyasha_ and his fleabag companions for all I was coming to. But I looked down into her eyes and saw a happiness that somehow made having pink flowers on my head less important.

"Rin is finished! You look very pretty!" she said as she skipped off to play 

I noticed Ah and Un were giving me a look that distinctly said _'Dear Buddha the world has ended, Sesshoumaru has pink flowers on his head!'_ but the thing that was ringing through my head was the word 'pretty'. Did she say I was _pretty_? If I were a more emotional man this would be the moment my face hit the floor and my feet shot up in the air in shock.

But of course I wasn't, so I just stood there for a moment till Rin ran off to bother Jakken, leaving me, the Lord of the Western lands, with a pink flower crown atop his head. I thought long and hard about taking the thing off. But then I saw the way she kept looking back to me… Perhaps I could keep the thing on for a little while…


	2. Reasons

Title: Reasons

Summary: Sesshoumaru ponders his father's reasons for giving him Tensaiga rather than Tessaiga.

* * *

For a long time he had wondered why his father had given him the Tensaiga rather than Tessaiga. Many sleepless nights he had thought that his father hated him, that his father had betrayed him. He wondered how his father could give that mangy half-breed the great tetusaiga and give him a worthless piece of metal that could only grant life rather than conquer and enslave the free world. 

But as he looked down into the soft golden eyes that were peering at him from the crook of a young woman's arm, He knew. He picked up the tiny being in his only arm. He looked deep into its eyes and felt it's tiny velvet-like ears that were sticking on top of its head. And he knew that his father had given him the Tensaiga for that purpose, The purpose of reviving that little girl, The little girl that followed him and grew up by his side. The little girl that always had a smile and would follow his every order even if it required her life, The same little girl that grew to a young woman before his very eyes, The same little girl that he grew to love, The same little girl who loved him back with every fiber of his being, The same little girl who became his mate, the same little girl who gave birth to his son.

He handed the boy back to his mother. He looked at them and knew. He knew that if it weren't for Tensaiga that he wouldn't have either of them. And he knew that his father gave him the sword for a purpose. So he would find love. He sat on the bed in front of his mate and kissed her forehead. The smile he loved so much grew even wider upon her face. He stroked the silver head of his son and finally knew. He knew happiness.


	3. Fools

Title: Fools

Summary: How does Kirara feel about it all?

* * *

Humans were funny creatures. Always hiding their feelings and thoughts. It was a foolish thing to do, Kirara thought. Kirara saw that her mistress was tending to that monk's wounds. Though her mistress denied it vehemently, she cared deeply for that lecherous monk. And Kirara could see that he felt the same. Humans were like that, always hiding the truth when it is only wasting their valuable time on earth.

She expected better from the hanyou, Inuyasha, but he was no different. Kind, sweet Kagome devotes herself to him, yet he follows that woman who smells of death and dirt. How foolish of him not to notice that they were the same person, yet different. Kikyo was dead and Kagome was alive. It was not his fault that Kikyo had been betrayed. He had not been the one doing the betraying. He should send that dead woman to hell where she belongs and tell Kagome of his deep love. Foolish hanyou.

Then she had at least expected better from the full demon, Sesshoumaru, Inuyasha's brother. She had expected him to know better than to waste precious time. But there he went, breaking the little Rin's heart while he denied his love. He should know better than to put his pride before his happiness. He had seen that Inuyasha was as strong as him and only a half demon, he should have no fear that his children with Rin shall possess strength in the body as well as heart. But his foolish pride held him back. What a foolish demon.

Kirara remembered back when her first mistress, Midoriko, had told her of love and foolishness. Kirara cherished those days with her first mistress just as those fools should cherish their time together. and as she cherished her time with them. What a foolish thing to do, to waste precious time when they could be loving each other and lending strength to one another. Kirara sighed as Shippo jumped atop her and fell asleep. Fools, indeed.

A/N: Kirara is not being mean or anything, she loves um all. She is just reflecting on how short a human life can be.


	4. Wishes and Hopes

Title: Wishes and Hopes.

Summary: Rin sees Sesshoumaru bathing and wants the impossible.

* * *

Rin awoke and saw that it was not yet morning. It would be quite a long while before the sun came up, but Rin could not sleep. She looked around the clearing and saw AhUn beside her, sound asleep, and Jakken snoring across the fire. She did not see her lord. It was odd for him to be out of her view. Perhaps he was angry. 

She had visited a village the day before to get some things and talk to the locals. Perhaps that angered Lord Sesshoumaru. When she came back Jakken had told her she smelled horribly of human. If Jakken's weak demon senses were disturbed then likely it was putrid to her Lord. Perhaps she ought to go and bathe in the stream. Perhaps he would no longer be angry then.

She sat up quietly and slid out of her furs. She got up and tiptoed out of the clearing. She remembered that there was a very nice stream. She walked through the thick trees and hoped she was going the right way. She saw that the trees were thinning out and knew she was. She saw the crystal clear waters and the reeds surrounding the stream. She looked upstream and suddenly she jumped back. Someone was in the water! She hid behind a tree and peered out. She saw the figure again, suddenly she gasped. It was Sesshoumaru-sama! She saw his silvery hair catch the moonlight. What was he doing? He had nothing covering him! Rin turned away quickly again and hid behind the tree. What if he heard her?

She couldn't help it, she had to look again. She tried her best to breathe quietly and she peered out. There he was, standing waist deep in the stream. He was looking up and into the water, but thankfully he wasn't looking her way. She couldn't help but stare at the perfection that was he. She had seen male's chests before, like when they worked in the fields, or when they were sick, but Sesshoumaru-sama's torso was truly divine. She felt a funny warm sensation travel from her belly to down even lower. She felt shameful, but she couldn't look away.

She had never seen her Lord without all his clothes. She had thought about it she realized shamefully, but never dreamed of ever seeing him. He looked so much like a man, if only he was, then perhaps he would see her as the woman that she is. He was so perfect, the moonlight making his pale skin and hair gleam, water tracing down the perfect lines of his abdomen. What was under the water she couldn't even imagine. She felt her face and noticed a blush was burning in her cheeks.

She looked down at herself, sure she was pretty. Many village boys had fawned over her when she visited. Kohaku had asked her for her hand in marriage earlier that year as well; she just couldn't leave her Lord. She knew that her beauty would fade, and that Sesshoumaru's would not. He would never lower himself so. He had more than let it be known that he hates humans. And that he especially hates hanyous and the mating between humans and demon. There was absolutely no chance he would ever want her. She felt her cheek and noticed a stream of tears running down her face. She put her hands over her face. How Jakken would laugh at her silliness.

She wiped her tears and peered back out to see where her Sesshoumaru- sama was. He wasn't there anymore. She suddenly panicked and looked around franticly. Should she run back to camp? Or stay here? She took a few steps forward and suddenly something landed right in front of her. Thump, she fell backwards on her behind. She looked up into amber eyes.

"Rin, are you hurt? Why is it that you cry?" he said with his gruff, deadly voice. She noticed that he still had nothing covering his chest.

"No...I am fine." She whispered. Did he know that she had been watching?

"Then why is it that you cry?" he said again.

"I- no reason really." She said uneasily.

"Tell this Sesshoumaru." he said a bit more commandingly.

"A petty human feeling is all." She said hatefully.

"What feeling? Hate? Sadness?" he offered.

"Hm, no I guess I was just wishing. Hoping for the impossible." She said wistfully.

"Wishes, hopes. You should have none. Tell this Sesshoumaru what you want and you will have it." He said protectively.

"No, Sesshoumaru-sama, this is one thing I shall never have." She said sadly, more tears trailing down her face.

"Fine, if you do not wish to tell me then let it be so, but this Sesshoumaru wants no more tears." He said as he hoisted her up and began carrying her back to the clearing. She felt woozy being pressed against his bare flesh. As she had pondered so many times, it felt like silk over steel.

"Rin, why is it you stay with me." He said without looking at her. "Do you not wish to have a family? You could have done so with that boy." He said.

"Of course I want a family. But I could never leave you." She said softly. He looked down into her sad, warm brown eyes, and she looked into his cold, amber eyes.

_'If only'_ she thought.

_'Perhaps...'_ he thought.

A/N: I just had an intriguing idea. I tried to make it as good as possible but I realize you may be feeling unsatisfied. But I think you get the drift of the future here, Rin gets sad and then Sesshoumaru considers her more and more till Bam one day they live happily ever after. I always like to think they live happily ever after. I am not a tragedy girl. I just wanted to capture Rin's wanting and angst. Hope you liked it.


	5. Thoughts in the Tree

Title: Thoughts in the Tree 

Summary: Inuyasha thinks about a lot of things...

* * *

Inuyasha sat atop his tree. The moon was high and full. He looked down to the little hut that held his friends. He hated to admit it, but they really were his friends. Time and time again he had seen them risk their lives for his. Time and time again he had found himself risking his life for theirs. He was reluctant to admit it but right before his eyes he had become no longer alone. Without him noticing he had became accepted and cherished by them, and he accepted and cherished them.

Miroku, Sango, Shippo, Kirara, and Kagome had become a part of his life. As a child he was teased and beaten because he was unacceptable to both humans and demons alike. Friends became an impossible dream to him. They accepted him for who and what he was. They followed him even when there was an ever- present danger of him transforming and ripping them to shreds.

Narraku was the only bond they shared. He had hurt each of them. He cursed Miroku, and killed Sango's whole family as well as enslaving her brother. He had betrayed Kikyo and himself as well as inadvertently orphaned Shippo. Narraku has both taken away one of the best things in his life, his love Kikyo, and inadvertently given him another one, his friends. The only one who had not been hurt by Narraku was Kagome.

Kagome was special. She was both so similar and dissimilar from Kikyo. At first all he saw in her was her similarity to Kikyo, but slowly he started to see her for her. When Kikyo did something good, it would be how similar she was to Kagome. Kagome followed him through the danger for no benefit of her own. She could go back to the future and live her life. But she stayed with him through thick and thin.

She even loved him even though he was forever indebted to another woman. All that she wanted was for him to be happy and for him to be himself. Kikyo hadn't wanted that. She had wanted him to be human, which wasn't himself, and for herself to be happy. Kagome was so light and cheerful where Kikyo was dark and sad. And most importantly, Kagome was alive. Kikyo was dead.

Inuyasha looked back into his life and the more he thought about it, the more he realized he wouldn't change a thing. Not even his and Kikyo's betrayal because if that hadn't happened then he would never have met Kagome...and Miroku, Sango and Shippo. The jewel would be gone and Narraku would have nothing to feed off of. He would be a human and be living a quiet life. But perhaps he never wanted a quiet life?


	6. Affirmation

Title: Affirmation

Summary: Sango thinks about the lecherous monk we all know and love.

* * *

Sango walked ahead of the group. She was disgusted with herself. Why did she let him get to her? As a great demon slayer she shouldn't be affected so by a simple man. As heatedly as she denied it, she had fallen head over heels for that lecherous monk. She couldn't figure out why. He was a perverted, philandering, stupid, thick, irritating, handsome, charming...Argh! There she went again!

He didn't even care for her. He had shown so a thousand times before when he would grope any pretty women that stepped before him and ask them to bare his child. She fisted her hands and walked faster. Why did she care about him? Sure he said thoughtful things...and he would always take care of her. Why should he care for her anyways? It's not as if she ever asked him to. Sango started stomping her feet as she walked. Sango couldn't help but notice the trail of tear that was leaking down her cheek.

"Sango-sama, is there something wrong?" a familiar voice asked her.

"No! There is nothing wrong! Everything is positively peachy!" she walked even faster.

"Sango-sama, I may not be the smartest man, but I can see that there is definitely something wrong." Miroku said in his sagely way.

"I told you I was fine!" She shouted as she turned to face him. She immediately noticed that Kagome and Inuyasha were no longer there. "Were did they go...?"

"Kagome-sama and Inuyasha went to the spring near here." He answered quietly. "Now tell me what's wrong."

"It's nothing Miroku...I was just thinking." She said as she stared into his kind eyes, she saw something there, something special. "Miroku, can I ask you something?" she asked softly.

"Ask away Sango-sama."

"Do you...care...for me?" she squeaked out.

"Sango-sama," he sighed. "I...care for you...very much." He said softly. Their faces were inches apart their lips ached to become one. Suddenly Sango turned heel and turned to the spring.

"Let's go make camp!" she said happily.

"Alright." Miroku said as he walked beside her. Sango had a bounce in her step and a smile on her face. Suddenly Miroku's hand made contact with Sango's rear.

"HENTAI!" Sango screamed as she slapped him, leaving a red mark on his face. She continued walking, the smile on her face even larger. Miroku smiled as well and followed the woman, and rear, that he loved to the spring.


	7. Legends

Title: Legends

Summary: Kagome finds a book of legends…

* * *

Kagome reached the top of the well and sighed. She swung her legs over the side and rested her head in her slender hands. Inuyasha had gone to see Kikyo again. As soon as Kagome had seen the distant, sad look in his eyes she had fled to her time. She couldn't deal with it yet again; she couldn't see her love go to another.

Kagome felt tears sliding down her cheeks. How foolish she had been to fall in love with him. She could never beat Kikyo; after all, she was still alive. He would always love Kikyo and when they completed the Shikon jewel, he would descend into hell with her. Kagome's body shook with all of the pain she felt.

After she had calmed down a bit she looked up and saw a familiar shape, grandpa's bookcase. She smiled feebly, she remembered all the timed her Grandfather had put her to sleep with the tales the old tomes held. She stood up shakily and pulled the largest book from its dusty resting place. She gently blew the dust of and plopped down onto the well's side.

She carelessly opened the book and immediately gasped. She saw an incredibly familiar word. There on the top of the page was 'Inuyasha' in gold lettering. Kagome scanned the page and saw a familiar face. There was Inuyasha in full glory. He had his fire-rat robes on and his silvery hair shone. The picture was quite accurate, Kagome thought, though he had much nicer eyes. They had made his eyes blood red.

Kagome slowly turned the page and held her breath. She couldn't believe what she saw.

_The L__egend of Inuyasha and the Shikon jewel_

_Long, long ago, in The Warring S__tates __Era__ lived a half-demon named Inuyasha. His father had been a mighty __Taiyoukai__ and his mother was a beautiful __hime__. Inuyasha was persecuted for his heritage and was accepted by neither the humans nor the __youkai_

_Inuyasha was strong and__ courageous, but lonely. He searched out the Shikon Jewel for it__s ability to a full demon. However, he was greeted by the great priestess Kikyo _(Kagome sighed)_. Kikyo foiled his plan and held him off. After many attempts at attaining the Jewel, he fell in love with the priestess. She convinced him to become human and he agreed. _

_However,__ before they were able to do this, t__hey were betrayed. The evil Nar__aku disguised as Inuyasha stole the jewel and caused Kikyo to seal __Inuyasha to the sacred tree. Na__raku killed the priestess Kikyo and she took the jewel with her to hell. Inuyasha remained sealed to the tree for 50 years. _

_One day a young woman from the future was pulled down the bone eater's well and brought to the warring states era. _(Kagome gasped and almost slammed the book shut, but something kept her going)_ she came u__pon Inuyasha and awakened him. S__he was found to be the reincarnation of Kikyo. The jewel was ripped from her body and came to be in her protection. _

_Unfortunately__ Inuyasha was wary of the girl and attempted to take it from her. The village priestess put a subduing charm upon him and from henceforth all __the young woman had to say was "__Sit__, boy"__ and Inuyasha was instantly hurled to the ground. _(Kagome found herself giggling.)

_A demonic force sought out the jewel and stole it from the unsuspecting young woman and in an attempt to save a life she split the Jewel __into countless__ pieces. It was the burden of Inuyasha and this young woman from the future to gather them together and make them whole. _

_They went on a journey to complete the jewel only to find that they __had great enemies. The evil Nar__aku made his reappea__rance and let__ it__ be__ known that he would kill Inuyasha. Even the priestess Kikyo was raised from the dead and put into a clay body, however the priestess was__ no longer good, but filled with hate and bitterness_

_The moment Inuyasha saw Kikyo he fell in love once more and could not see that she was dead and n__o longer the same. This was unfortunate__ for the young woman from the future who had fallen deeply in love with Inuyasha. _(Kagome groaned angrily.)

_There was also Inuyasha's brother, Sesshoumaru the great __Taiyoukai__ and Lord of the Western Lands__. He despised his half brother and wished him dead. In a twist of fate Sesshoumaru would turn out to be among Inuyasha's greatest allies_. (Kagome stared in wonder, Sesshoumaru their greatest ally? That seemed unlikely.)

_Inuyasha fo__und many other allies as well, s__uch as the amorous monk, M__iroku__ who had been cursed by Na__raku, a__nd the mighty demon slayer, Sango and her fire cat Kirara. H__er family had been killed by Naraku, a__s well as the famed mighty __kitsune__, Shippo_. (Kagome giggled, Shippo famed?)_ Together they were a mighty force indeed. _

_After collecting as many of the shards they c__ould, they faced the mighty Nar__aku. Inuyasha's brother, Sesshoumaru, even joined them. They fought b__ravely and fiercely against Nar__aku and his evil minions. In the end, they won, however many were killed. _(Kagome choked.)_ Sesshoumaru used his mighty sword to call the dead back into the realm of the liv__ing. Sesshoumaru would never have__ done this if it hadn't been for the little girl that melted the ice of his heart. _

_When the time came for Inuyasha to join his beloved, Kikyo, in hell he refused. _(Kagome gasped)_ He had fallen in love with the girl from the future. Kikyo lashed out in rage and Inuyasha had to kill her with his own claws. The future was safe. _

_Inuyasha went on to live prosperously with his beloved, Kagome, and have many mighty children who live on in legends. Shippo grew strong and mighty and he helped unite the states and held the longest peace Japan has ever known. Miroku and Sango married and had many__ many children. They helped free Japan from the many demons. Sesshoumaru held the peace and __married the little girl who followed him__ and made her the first human Lady of the Western Lands__. The__y__ created many strong and peaceful warriors__ from their union. The Ladies Rin and Kagome were to remain great allies._

_Inuyasha had defeated the evil of the Shikon jewel and lived happily ever after. The only thing that is unknown is what became of the Shikon jewel, though many say it was used to make Kago__me and Sesshoumaru's Rin__ immortal as their mates were. _

_The End_

Kagome couldn't contain the feeling inside. Tears of joy and every other feeling leaked from her eyes.

"You don't have to cry..." said a familiar voice from behind her.

"Inuyasha..." She whispered.

"Look, the others are mad at me and they want me to-" he said quickly.

"Inuyasha, don't worry about it. I'm ready to go back now." she said as she closed the old tome.

"What? Okay..." Inuyasha watched her cluelessly as she leaped back down the well.

_Kikyo may have his heart now, but I know who will have it in the future_, Kagome said happily to herself. As she climbed back up the well and was greeted by a tiny missile of a fox demon. Ha, a great warrior, certainly not yet, she thought as she coddled the tiny boy.


	8. Preperations

Title: Preparations

Summary: How exactly did Kaedae get that subduing necklace anyhow?

* * *

Kaedae awoke to another busy day. Her sister had died, leaving the job of priestess to her. She brushed her long, black hair and fixed the patch over her eye. It had been quite a few years since her sister, Kikyo was betrayed and sealed Inuyasha to the tree. It had left the village in despair. Their hero slain and their trust broken. 

Kaedae had been left with a hard life, but she accepted it. It was her duty to bring the villager's hopes back . Her previous dreams of adventure and love were thrashed, but she knew destiny would see her through.

She left her hut and was greeted by people with various problems. They all looked to her for everything. They put their faith in her as Kikyo's little sister. It was difficult to live in such a large shadow, but someone had to take the responsibility.

She shooed the villagers because they knew she had something to do. She always did this, just incase. She would be ready if trouble reared it's ugly head again. She adjusted her bow and arrow and headed into the forest. It was such a sad aura flowing through it. Kaedae did not understand what this could mean. She was not nearly as skilled as her sister, or as powerful, or as beautiful. Kaedae thought as she touched the beginnings of crow's feet in the corner of her eye.

She finally reached her destination as she saw it. There was Goshinboku. She walked up to the mighty tree and studied the figure attached to it. Her eyes fell upon the unholy ears upon his head. They were of a dog.

"You never will grow old will you Inuyasha..." she whispered to the boy pinned to the tree.

She reached up and touched the side of his face. He was still warm after almost thirty years... she finally reached into his mouth and with a mighty pull she got what she desired, a fang. She did not miss the fleeting look of anger passing over his face or the twitch of his ear. She pulled out a bone necklace with four other similar fangs adorning it.

"We certainly shall be needing this shan't we Inuyasha? I don't think you would still be this alive if you were meant to be stuck to this tree forever." She said to him as she strung the tooth on the necklace. She could have sworn she saw a smirk.


	9. Good news?

Title: Good news?

Summary: Ever wondered what happened when Izayoi told Inutaisho she was pregnant?

* * *

A tall, slender woman stood by a bubbling spring. She was obviously wealthy and of high rank, with her sprawling kimono and long shining hair. Despite her obvious good luck, she was crying. Tears ran down her face as she gently rubbed her stomach. It seemed there was a slight bump there. 

"Izayoi..." a tall man with pale silver hair stepped out of the forest behind her. He had a look of concern on his face.

"Inutaisho..." she whispered painfully.

"...What is it you wanted to tell me precious?" he stepped forward to hold her. However she tugged apart and fell to her knees. There she found her and her suitor's reflections dancing on the crystal water.

"I am pregnant." She said quickly, as if doing it quickly would make it easier. The man's face immediately went from shock to happiness and then, strangely, sadness.

"It will be a hanyou..." he said solemnly.

"What will we do?" she asked desperately looking to him.

"I...I don't know..." he said emptily.

"The child will not be accepted among the humans..." she whispered sadly.

"And nor among my kin..." the strong demon predicted sadly.

"What will I say?" she whispered.

"I shall claim him..." Inutaisho said as if coming to a decision.

"Him? Why do you say that, you cannot know the sex of the baby?" she asked suddenly.

"I can smell him. He is strong." He said proudly. She smiled absently.

"I can't let you claim him...surely it will make the other demons despise you." She said firmly.

"I don't care. I will just have to prove my worth." He said while drawing his claws. She smiled, she had always adored his pride.

"What about your other son?" she asked mildly.

"Sesshoumaru? Well...perhaps...They will get along..." Inutaisho tried his best to comfort her.

"I only hope his life will be good. I hope he is not unaccepted..." she said through a vast amount of tears.

"If he is honorable like his brother, tough like his old man, and loving as his mother, he is sure to have the best kind of friends." Inutaisho scooped the slender woman and licked her neck, much like the dog he was.


	10. Trust

Title: Trust

Summary: Sesshoumaru (once again) ponders keeping Rin

* * *

Sesshoumaru paused along the path. It was time for the girl to find something to eat. Sesshoumaru watched her scamper into the next clearing to pick some ripe berries. As she picked them, he noticed the kimono he had Jakken get her was getting worn. It would not be suitable for winter. 

It's not as if he hadn't gotten her a kimono before, but that had been different, she had been bloody and reeked of death, if he got her another new kimono it would only be for her survival, not his senses. That would be like admitting that she would be staying with them.

Just the other day she had begun talking to them. She had given her name to them, Rin. He had thought it very ironic her name meant 'companion'. She was a cheerful child, never complaining. But to get her the heavy winter kimono and supplies she would need would be actually admitting that she would be coming with them.

He heard her singing softly as she picked the bright berries. She was always so happy and trusting, especially after what those villagers did to her. He couldn't abandon her on the side of the road, that was certain, but could he leave her at a village where her trust could be exploited once again?

Perhaps he could just keep her long enough to teach her not to trust humans…yeah, maybe that would work…


	11. First Meeting

Title: First Meeting

Summary: Young Sesshoumaru meets his baby brother, Inuyasha.

* * *

"Sesshoumaru, this, is your baby brother, Inuyasha." The Inu Taiyoukai gestured to the tiny bundle of flesh held in the dirty human's hands. 

Sesshoumaru didn't know what to think…all his life he had been taught that humans and hanyous were dirty, nasty, stupid, weak, and any other negative thing you could think of, and now he was expected to welcome them into his family?

Sesshoumaru stepped forward and looked at the pup, it had white silvery hair, claws, and amber eyes, just like Sesshoumaru and his father. However the pup had two triangular ears perked atop it's head…

Sesshoumaru felt betrayed by his father, that the great Inutaisho would lower himself to be unfaithful to his first mate, nonetheless couple with a dirty human and create this abomination in the process…

How would he deal with this, Sesshoumaru was nothing but an adolescent pup himself he would be forced to tolerate this malformed mass of sin. He looked up at the human. She was lovely, for a human, but demonesses certainly came prettier. He could see the hope in her eyes. She hoped with every fiber of her tiny heart that he might accept this horrible…thing!

Sesshoumaru was about to storm off when he looked down one last time. The tiny cub was reaching out to him with it's chubby little arm. Sesshoumaru had to admit…it was remarkably strong and well formed compared to other hanyous…Sesshoumaru reached out one clawed finger to the pup's tiny arm. The pup closed his fist around his finger…for one second Sesshoumaru let his scowl drop…then he noticed His father's and the human's happy expressions at this and stormed off, leaving the little brat to cry…

"Perhaps…there is hope…" Inutaisho consoled his mistress and their son.


	12. Lords and Ladies

Title: Lords and Ladies

Summary: Lord Sesshoumaru is getting married and _not_ to Rin.

* * *

Rin looked to her feet. They were small and delicate, but perhaps weak, like the rest of her. They were chilled by the cold wooden floor. It was shiny and beautiful, like all the other floors in the castle. Sesshoumaru's castle was furnished with only the best of the best. That's what Sesshoumaru always had, the best. That was Rin's problem, she was a _human_, quite less than the best. 

Rin walked across the spacious room and opened a rice paper screen. Behind it was a mirror and some of Rin's belongings. She studied her reflection. She was a pretty young woman. Her skin was a luminescent pale pink; her eyes were a warm reflective brown. Her lips were full and supple with youth's rosy glow. She had been told by more than one young man that her body was a man's dream, but that was the problem, the man she wanted, wasn't a man at all, he was a demon.

What beauty she had to offer could never stand up to the beauty of a demoness. They were tall and lithe with the elegance of a willow, and yet had the strength of a hundred men. They had flawless facades and bodies of an incapable sort, with breasts the size of melons on a frame the thickness of a pole. No human could hold a candle to this. And so Rin could hardly blame him for his choice.

Rin opened her ornate wooden chest and fingered the contents. Her hand passed over dozens of silk kimonos whose price she couldn't fathom. She stopped a second on a grass-stained small one with orange and white circles. It had been her first gift from Sesshoumaru and certainly not the last. She continued on till she reached the very back of the row and pulled out an incredibly ornate white kimono with an embroidered pink flower design and a pink obi.

Rin laughed at the fact she could hate something so beautiful. It was everything she couldn't be, perfect, gorgeous, and priceless. It had been another gift from Lord Sesshoumaru, another reason she should love it for, but she despised it so. It was because Sesshoumaru had given it to her to wear on a very special occasion, his wedding to Lady Tomaki.

Lady Tomaki arrived as the cherry petals first began to fall, Rin's favorite season. At first, Rin had not had a clue why she was here and why everyone was putting up with her petulant demands. She soon ruled everything but Sesshoumaru himself, including Rin. She moved Rin to a smaller room far far away from Lord Sesshoumaru. Lady Tomaki made sure Rin had nothing to do with anything. She let Rin know exactly how welcome she was, **not**. Rin had decided to wait it out, surely her Sesshoumaru-sama would drive this mad woman out before long as he had done with many demons.

To Rin's horror Jakken had shown up at Rin's little room with a black eye and lesions. Rin knew Lady Tomaki had done it. The little toad told Rin not to worry about him, that what she needed to worry about was herself. He told her that Lady Tomaki was here to marry Lord Sesshoumaru and become his mate, that the only reason Rin was still alive was because Sesshoumaru himself had told Lady Tomaki not to lay a finger on Rin.

After mourning her losses Rin vowed not to take it to heart until Sesshoumaru himself told this to her. Unfortunately, a few weeks later she had heard a rap on her door. She looked up to see none other than Lord Sesshoumaru step through the entryway. He looked no different than always, perhaps more impassive. He took in her emaciated frame.

"You should eat." He said almost angrily.

"Perhaps I would if I were still welcome in the kitchens." Rin said sarcastically in an unusual show of attitude. She saw a flash of something pass over Sesshoumaru's eyes. He did not rise to her challenge and instead approached her.

"It is the time in my life to produce heirs, heirs to the throne of the western lands." He looked her intently in the eyes.

"There are other ways to do that! What about love?" She said as she slid to the floor. She hadn't even noticed she was crying.

"Love is a foolish human emotion." Sesshoumaru said. He hated it when Rin cried, and she was crying more than he had ever seen her, he could smell her pain. He laid a package on the futon and walked to the door. Just as he reached it he paused "It will be during the first snows. You will be The Lady of Honor. Tomaki doesn't like this, but I demand it of her." He said unusually softly. "In that box is the dress you should wear."

That meeting weeks ago had sealed her fate. At first, of course, she had wanted to flee. If Sesshoumaru didn't want her than there was no point in hanging around. But as usual, her heart won out and she knew she would stay and do whatever Sesshoumaru asked of her, even if it ended her life.

Rin stroked the luxurious silk. It was the very finest money could buy. She could hardly imagine what Lady Tomaki's dress would look like. The wedding was later that evening. It was a thing that plagued Rin's mind, how would she let her dreams go? She looked out of the window, snow was falling, and she had best get dressed. Rin slid the silk over her bare skin.

She examined herself one more time in the large mirror. She guessed it was about as good as it was going to get. She took a deep breath and entered the 'royal chambers', or what used to be the salon before Tomaki came. She had lain silk and flowers all over the place. The air was sickeningly sweet. Rin coughed as she saw the occupants.

Lady Tomaki was lounging on the sofa. As Rin had predicted, she was draped in yards and yards of embroidered silk. Her white silver hair was being brushed by another demoness. In fact, there were three other similar demonesses in the room. Rin noted with resignation that Tomaki was prettier than the rest.

"Look, it's the little skank." Tomaki purred to her friends. Rin tried not to act hurt.

"Why on earth does he keep the brat?" One of her companions asked. Rin shrunk against the wall.

"I don't know. She serves no purpose. I suppose she might service that hideous little toad." Tomaki said as she and her cohorts gave way to howls of laughter. Rin shivered at the thought of _her and Jakken_.

"She has to be in the ceremony?" The tallest demoness asked.

"Unfortunately." The shortest demoness replied.

"You, brat." Tomaki addressed Rin. "Sesshoumaru insists you be in the ceremony. Just **don't** mess anything up, or it will be your life. Sesshoumaru may be attached to you, but he _needs_ me." Tomaki told Rin as she flexed her claws.

After some time the demonesses began lining up. The squattest demoness shuffled Rin to the front of the line and pushed her out the huge doors. Rin had never been in the room beyond the doors. It took her a few minutes to gather herself, but then she looked around.

She was frozen with fear. She was in a cavernous room, but that wasn't what was scary. She was surrounded by demons. Hundreds of great demons had come to pay homage to the son of the Western Lands. They were all there, bear demons, cat demons, dragon demons the size of a house. Rin took a gasp of air in and found him.

There was an aisle all the way across the room. At the end she saw him. Sesshoumaru was standing in full armor at the end of the aisle. He was looking at her ever impassively. Rin gulped and proceeded forward. All demons' eyes were on her. A particular nasty demon dropped a gobule of acidic drool in her path. She stepped over it and marched forward towards the nearest thing to safe she had, Sesshoumaru.

Sesshoumaru could smell her fear. He knew they all could. He also knew they were all wondering why he was allowing a human to be the Lady of Honor. To be honest, so was he. She approached him with a surprisingly steady gait. He no longer smelt fear, but more of a dread. Rin finally met him. She was about to say something, but was interrupted by the master of ceremonies, a wizened tree demon growing into the temple wall.

"Sesshoumaru, dost thou give thy word that this woman is indeed a virgin?" The tree boomed out.

"I do." Sesshoumaru said as he looked at Rin. She flushed.

"Lady of Honor. As a virgin, dost thou give thy blessing to the fertility of this union?" the ancient being echoed through the room.

After receiving a long look from Sesshoumaru, she moved up to them. With surprising confidence she replied:

"As the Virginal maid, I offer up my blessing to this union." She said hollowly. Sesshoumaru looked at her with surprise, how had she known the ancient words? Instinct perhaps, but why would a human have it?

"Good, than may the procession continue."

Rin watched as all three demonesses walked down the aisle to line up beside her, opposite Sesshoumaru. Rin didn't really focus, in fact she felt like passing out. That was, until her attention was drawn to the back. Lady Tomaki entered the aisle. She was gorgeous as Rin predicted. Rin felt like a dagger was being twisted in her stomach. It only got worse when Tomaki reached Sesshoumaru and entwined her fingers in his.

"The Lord Sesshoumaru, son of the Great Inutaisho, may he rest in eternal pyre, Lord of The Western Lands, has come here today to offer his seed to Lady Tomaki, Daughter of the renowned Daifuku, Princess of the Eastern Estate. Does anyone of you here reject this union?" The great tree bellowed.

Rin's heart thumped in her ears. She could swear her heart was in her throat. She could see the way Lady Tomaki was petting her Lord. She met his eyes once again and she snapped. She broke the line and stood before the great tree, looking to his gnarled face for strength. Everyone's eyes were on her. Lady Tomaki looked horrified.

"I do!" She screamed with all her might. A general cacophony let out.

"You little Bitch! How dare you! And just a human!" Tomaki hissed. Rin backed up into a corner.

Tomaki's eyes turned red. Rin fell to the ground beneath her, pressed against the wall. Rin stared death in the face. Rin knew that. She also knew that death was a better fate than watching the man she loved marry Tomaki. Rin closed her eyes and waited for the end. The sound of ripping flesh filled her eyes. Warm blood splashed her face.

…

After a couple of seconds Rin realized she had not felt any pain. She slowly opened one eye. She was highly relieved to see Sesshoumaru standing over her, looking down. After giving him a smile straight from her heart, she remembered there had been blood spilt. She swiveled her head around to see Lady Tomaki's corpse giving way to bones, such as the way with dead demons.

"Oh my, Lady Tomaki!" One of the demonesses cried as she came in between Rin, Sesshoumaru, and the corpse.

"I'm…sorry…," Rin said slowly as she tried to think of some consolation, even if she wasn't actually sorry. As Rin tried to approach her, the demoness turned on Rin and drew her claws, but before she could make a move Sesshoumaru had moved in front of Rin.

"Do not harm Rin, I have told you all this before. As you can see, the consequences shall be dire." He said in a ruthless voice meant for all the demons there.

Fortunately, there were few upset by this, their loyalty lay with the Inutaiyoukai family. And besides, few dare even think they could contend with Sesshoumaru in battle or wits. Their hate for humans was deep, but their wish to live was deeper. Sesshoumaru had the strength to back himself up, so they were willing to accept this, though the cacophony in the temple didn't give this away.

Sesshoumaru looked down upon the girl. She was bloodstained and bruised, but she was still smiling at him with that smile. He didn't say anything, but Rin was pretty sure this was some sort of a turning point. She was here in a lion's den, surrounded by demons that were excited by the spilling of blood, but Sesshoumaru stood careful guard over her. He had sacrificed the thing he held dearest, his pride, for her.

"Rin." Sesshoumaru said calmly.

"Yes?" She answered proudly.

"Why did you object?" he asked coolly.

"Well." She said thoughtfully. " I just didn't like Lady Tomaki…and I guess…other reasons too." She flushed pink.

"Why do _you_ care about the woman I marry? You are a human." He asked frankly.

"Cause I care about you. Human or not, I would rather die than see you mated with that wretch." Rin said bluntly.

"I see." Sesshoumaru said calmly as he looked into the havoc that surrounded him. he took a deep breath and surrendered to something, "Well, come on then Lady Rin, we should return to the castle. We should let Jakken know there will be some changes in the plan." Sesshoumaru said as he looked down at her with a faint trace of a smile on his face.


	13. Sake

Title: Sake

Summary: Jakken ponders whilst enjoying some sake.

* * *

Jakken sloshed down another flask of sake. It was mid-spring and they had recently begun traversing the Western Lands once again. Jakken didn't like this in the first place. He would follow his Lord to hell and back, but these treacherous forests simply didn't hold a candle to the lush castle they spent winters in. Not to mention a limited supply of sake. 

Jakken had followed Sesshoumaru on literally hundreds of such journeys. Sesshoumaru liked the 'hands on' approach when it came to the jurisdiction of the demons and humans under his control. Therefore they were all terrified of him, rightfully so if he had anything to say about it.

In fact, Jakken had served Lord Sesshoumaru since he was a young boy. He had witnessed Sesshoumaru's mother's betrayal, not to mention the entrance of His father's human bitch and half-breed bastard son. All of whom Sesshoumaru hated with a passion. It was because of them the mighty Inu Taiyoukai fell from power. Ever since Sesshoumaru had been the icy warriorJakken loved so well, as well as harboring an unnatural hate for anything that wasn't power, especially humans.

Jakken had liked to think that he knew his mater inside and out. He was the only one his lord favored with any respect at all. Nothing could have been any better. Of course, that was when it all changed. It was soon after Inuyasha had been revived, Jakken recalled. His dear master had been injured when the very worst thing that ever could have happened did just that: Her.

At first it had merely been a test of power, Jakken could deal with that, but soon enough they went into _human_ towns to get her clothing. Jakken had held out for his lord, but before he knew it, the once icy demon was acting radically different.

She was just a tiny human child. She was grass-stained and bruised and hardly the sophisticate that he and his Master were. Jakken hoped she was merely being kept as a snack, oh how delusional he had been. Before his very eyes she grew and blossomed into what a human would consider a fine young woman.

What a torturous time that had been, she was fickle and emotional, such is the way of humans. To Jakken's horror, this seemed to affect Sesshoumaru quite the opposite it did him. Before Jakken's eyes he noticed Sesshoumaru having entire conversations with her and going out of his way to fulfil her desires. He had never ever spoken so much. Jakken noticed with fear the brightness of his lord's eyes. Jakken could only mourn the loss of such a heartless demon.

"Gwandpa Jakken! Daddy says you needs to stop drinking your juice and start building a campfire!" A small little boy with striking white hair and two triangular ears squealed as he pounced on the toad from a tree.

"Oh gosh, I'm so sorry Jakken! Kyo, don't hurt Jakken, you know you are stronger than him." A beautiful woman reprimanded the tot as she stumbled after him into the clearing. She was slender and tan with warm brown hair. She picked Jakken up with a grunt as she favored her large pregnant belly.

"Rin, you shouldn't be doing that with the baby!" Jakken squealed. "Besides, it's no problem I can handle the little squirt." Jakken croaked as he rubbed the child's hair affectionately. "He is just a killer, like his father." Rin smiled.

"And gorgeous, like his mother." Sesshoumaru said coolly as he bent down to rest his chin on Rin's shoulder. She kissed his cheek.

Jakken sighed at their silliness. Maybe it wasn't the absolute worse thing. And there still was still a whole jug of sake left…


	14. After All

Title: After All

Summary: A full grown Rin is readying herself to leave Lord Sesshoumaru after he rejects her. But just before she leaves he asks for an audience with her…

* * *

Her eyes were completely dry; all her tears had long since been shed. Even without them she knew Jakken could see her mourning. He hadn't teased her for days, ever since she had told him she was going to leave. Now he was even being sweet, helping her pack her things. He had managed to fit all her most important things into one large-ish pack which was tied securely onto AhUn's saddle.

"I must go attend to my chores, when I am finished I will come back here to finish up." Jakken said as he brushed nonexistent dirt from his robes.

"Don't bother; I am going to go to bed." She said heavily.

"Fine then, have a good sleep." Jakken replied.

Jakken looked back anxiously as he was crossing the cave. She smiled at him reassuringly and he resumed his march. Rin sighed deeply. His anxiety, though well-meaning, often brought her only a mild irritation. She appreciated it nonetheless.

Rin was roused from her musings by a confused snort from AhUn. The dragon's two heads were looking back at the pack with confusion and worry. They had just gotten to castle a few days ago and the beast had been looking forward to a long winter of repose. Rin went to AhUn and petted one of it's heads.

"I am sorry, AhUn, but I need you to take me somewhere soon. Please? You don't have to if you don't want to." She said to it.

AhUn immediately nodded affirmatively to her query and snorted reassuringly to her.

"Thank you, boys. It won't take long." She said with a final pat. "But we won't be leaving till the morning, so get some rest."

She turned to walk out of the cave. It was a short walk. After all, the dragon itself had dug the cave and it had never been one to expend any extra energy. And so the walk was more like a few steps till she came back out into the bright sun of the courtyard. She was going back to her room to go back to sleep.

Sleep was the only release she had from her misery. Death would perhaps be more permanent but she didn't dare, to kill herself would be to throw away her first and most precious gift from Sesshoumaru, her life. That she couldn't do, no matter how much of a relief it might seem.

Her room was on the bottom level of the castle. It was what had originally been a greenhouse of sorts. One of the whole walls was glass to allow for plants to be grown in it. Now it simply served as a tremendous view for her and her flowers. She had dried flowers and pretty paintings everywhere. After all, she had spent ten winters in the room, and so she had ten winters worth of interesting finds in it. However, perhaps the loveliest thing she had displayed were the many priceless silk kimonos Sesshoumaru had bought her. They ranged in color and style but they were all alike in their peerless quality.

She fingered her newest robe. It was white with pink cherry blossoms. She had received it just that past spring. She could remember that lovely morning when Sesshoumaru had placed it on her futon. Every year he got her one on the same day, the day anniversary of the day she he brought her back to life… her birthday of a manner of speaking. She rarely wore her priceless kimonos; she preferred simple cotton robes that she could stain without worry.

She laid down on her silk and down futon. A solid nap would do her good. At least in her dreams she would be free of her mourning. Rin closed her eyes and breathed deeply. Before she even had time to empty her mind she heard a stiff rap on her sliding door.

"What is it?" She asked irritably.

"May I come in?" Jakken asked.

"If you must." Rin replied.

Jakken scurried in, all the while picking up pieces of paper and trash. She smiled at his caring ways; he was truly a steward at heart. He looked disorderly and anxious, but he had just come from Lord Sesshoumaru after all, that in itself was more than enough to explain his grim demeanor. He smiled at her. She let her frown relax a little.

"Milady, the Lord wishes to see you." Jakken said softly.

"Why? What on earth could he have to say to me?" Rin barked madly.

"He did not feel the need to share his reasons with one such as me." Jakken said as he patted her trembling knee.

"I suppose he knows I plan to leave in the morning?" She asked urgently.

"He does." Jakken answered.

"So this will be his goodbye then?" Rin said as she stood.

"I can't say as I have any idea." Jakken replied as he helped straighten her yellow silk sleeping gown.

"Fine then, leave me." She said as she rubbed her temples.

Jakken began to open his mouth to protest her delay but she cut him off.

"I am going in a moment, I just need a second." Rin said through gritted teeth.

"Oh yes, sorry Lady Rin." Jakken said apologetically.

"Stop calling me that, I am no great Lady." Rin said rejectfully.

"I am a servant and you are not making you irrevocably my Lady." Jakken said with a humorous grin. "Do me a favor and do make it only one moment. He is… not in the best of moods."

"Will do." Rin replied as Jakken pulled the sliding door behind him.

Rin rewrapped herself in her robe. She peered at herself in the mirror. The robe was not her best color and her eyes were puffy, but when weren't they lately? She pinched her sallow cheeks. She had no idea why she cared anymore, but that didn't stop her from still caring. Rin was nervous.

She was lying to herself if she said she thought he wouldn't give her _some _sort of goodbye. But she could hardly imagine him giving her a meaningful _stare_. So she really didn't know what to expect when she reached his chambers.

His chambers where at the very top of one of the castle's spires. It wasn't the largest or nicest bedroom but he chose it to dwell in for their short stay at the old Dog Demon Castle. Rin liked to imagine that it was a reflection of his own personal philosophy: be above everyone. Either way it made it a true pain to reach his chambers. Even so she finally reached the great stone doors. They were much too heavy for Rin to move but apparently it was quite practical for a demon of Sesshoumaru's high caliber, though it just gave the servants a large obstacle.

Rin knocked lightly on the granite door. She didn't have to knock any louder; Sesshoumaru could probably hear her very breath. It was only a split second before the aforementioned Lord effortlessly pulled the immense door aside. He was inscrutable as always. He turned from her and gestured for her to follow into his chambers.

They were damp and airy. Demons had no use for heat so it was uncomfortably chilly. The remnants of the Castle's past grandeur still were everywhere. But they were now covered in rolls and rolls of scrolls. He walked over and turned to one of the many thin windows and began focusing on the landscape below them. Rin had no intention of breaking the silence. After all, it was he who had called her there to begin with.

It was a long time before the silence was unbearable enough for Rin to break.

"So you have heard I plan to leave on the morrow, Milord?" Rin asked in rigid amiability.

"Indeed." He answered maddeningly.

"It is okay if I use AhUn to carry my things to my new home?" Rin asked with increasing volume.

"Certainly, I have no use for him." Sesshoumaru said without emotion. "Have you decided where your new home will be?"

"No, I assume it will be in the first nice little village I find." She answered.

He didn't reply. However, he did turn to look at her. He seemed to be reading her. The silence stretched on seemingly endless in length and depth. She felt the sweat pouring out of her pores. Did he really have to make this harder than it already was?

"Rin, I am a demon. You are a human." He suddenly said in a completely foreign tone.

"You have made that _excruciatingly _clear, thank you." She said with anger pushing into her voice.

"My father died because of a mortal woman. I have sworn that I would not follow him in his fate, cursed with the love of a mortal woman." He continued undaunted.

"Lord Sesshoumaru, if this is all you have to say then would you mind if I left?" She asked.

"Stay." He commanded.

She sat instantly. She could not disobey him no matter how she felt on the inside. The ancient wooden bench she sat on was cold on her silk-wrapped rear. She had no idea what Lord Sesshoumaru was doing. She had not known him to be a cruel man. He was not one to waste time on unnecessary cruelty. But Rin couldn't fathom what this verbal repetition of her faults could be other than cruelty.

"Rin, may I ask you a question?" Sesshoumaru asked. He had stalked into the shadows and Rin could no longer see his face.

"Of course, my Lord." Rin answered, tears heavy in her throat.

"Rin, do you love me?" He asked in a low whisper.

Rin's breath caught. Why on earth would he ask her this? Was he just trying to further humiliate her? She had pretty much told him that much a few months previously when they were traveling across the Western Lands. Her little admission of feeling was the reason he had been avoiding her and the reason she was leaving. He knew she loved him. He had to.

A tear ran down her cheek. Before she even really noticed it Sesshoumaru had slid back into the light. He saw her tear and stepped forward and wiped it on one long clawed finger. She smiled pathetically. She was so eternally his.

"How could I not? After all, you are the only one in my life who hasn't treated me cruelly. You have been with me for as long as I can remember. You are the most handsome, powerful, intelligent, and wonderful man- I mean demon, in the world. I love you more than I can ever communicate. My entire heart belongs to you, my entire soul, my entire body… they're yours. I love you, Sesshoumaru." She said, tears steadily streaming down her face.

He took her face in his hands and looked into her eyes. It was as if he were trying to read what was going through her mind. His warm touch only brought further tears to her eyes. Why must he do this? Touch her and ask her these things?

"Rin, I am a demon, your mortal enemy. I have killed countless humans without a single thought. I have been alive for hundreds of years before you were born and I will be alive for hundreds of years after you are dead. I have hated your kind since my father died to save one of you." Sesshoumaru said.

She began to cry full on at that point. He knelt in front of her and made her continue to look him straight in the eyes. His golden eyes met her chocolate eyes. He physically held her attention. He continued to give his cruel monologue despite her palpable pain.

"Rin, despite myself I am conflicted. In all my 213 years I have never been conflicted. You conflict me, Rin. I hate humans. But Rin, oh Rin… After all, I love you." Sesshoumaru said in a husky voice.

"What?" Rin said suddenly.

"Did you hear me?" He asked.

"Yes, I did… but." Rin said slowly.

His face was so near hers. She hadn't realized it but it was inches from hers. His face looked different from any way she had ever seen it. His expression was one of utter helplessness. It looked so much like her own. She smiled slowly and deeply. She knew at this moment that she was going to do something fairly risky. But at this point she truly did not care.

She leaned in and put her lips to his. At this point she was too deep in euphoria to even realize what was going on other than that it was very, very good. She was immediately shaken out of her trance by surprise; her affection was being returned ten-fold. Sesshoumaru was on top of her and was gently forcing her mouth open with his tongue.

She suddenly cut off his deep kisses with a fit of the giggles. He immediately backed off and looked at her anxiously. She smiled at him and he relaxed and let his mouth form what Rin secretly knew was a grin. He remained on top of her, looking into her eyes.

"So may I stay?" She asked.

"If you don't, I am afraid I shall be… heartbroken." He said, framing his statement with a kiss on her forehead. "These past months have been hell on me, trying to avoid you, ignoring you. I can only imagine how terrible it was on you. I'm sorry, could you forgive me?" He asked, clearly struggling with himself.

"Yes, on one condition." She said.

"Ask it, I will do anything. You may have all the riches in the world or the head of any Demon Lord. Ask it and I will give it to you." He said.

"Well, I had a something else on mind. I wish that I never have to come up here again, I hate this room. Jakken does too." She said with a chuckle.

"I shall move to another room immediately." He said with a wry smile.

"Where will you move to?" She asked.

"For now? Well I was hoping your room, if you wouldn't mind." He said with a smile.

"I think that's a lovely idea." She said as she stood up and walked out of the room teasingly. He followed her with a kind of eager anticipation he had not felt in more than a century.


	15. Perfection

Title: Perfection

Summary: Rin and Sesshoumaru dwell on the injustice of life… (Warning: Completely Sappy and Trite)

* * *

It was simply unfair, as trite as that might sound to a world filled with injustice. She was a human, damned with innumerable imperfections. And him, well, he was the embodiment of perfection. She could spend hundreds of gold coins on lotions and ribbons and dozens of hours running and tanning and still be squishy, plain, and boring. He, through no extra effort, was Adonis. No, actually, even Adonis could learn something from Sesshoumaru. 

Rin moaned softly to herself as she saw that he was removing his shirt. Yes, said shirt was covered in blood from her erstwhile attacker, but really, did he have to torture her? It was about a biweekly event, some human or, occasionally a lesser demon deciding to "rescue" or abduct her from Sesshoumaru. Whether it was meant for her own good or simply for darker, more selfish reasons, she'd never known. The moment anyone set out to attack Sesshoumaru they sent themselves to death, he cut them all down, neatly and perfectly.

She would have in no other way, of course. She did not want to be taken from Sesshoumaru, even if it was a Prince rescuing her. And she certainly didn't want to be stolen by a demon; she could only imagine the fate that awaited her there. So she was incredibly grateful. But why did he have to remove his shirt? Now she would have to spend the evening staring at his perfectly carved chest framed by his perfectly built shoulders and all surrounded by his perfectly muscled arms.

"Rin, is there something the matter?" He asked in response to her stiffened posture.

"Everything is perfect." She said, trying to keep the sarcasm out of her voice.

He set his gaze on a more imperfect sight, towards the snoring toad, who hadn't even woken at the hostile demon's approach. She didn't know how unfair this all was for him. Did she know how impossibly desirable she smelled when she got aroused? It wasn't fair. She was too innocent, young, and perfect. His instincts burned for him to take her into his arms and make her his. It wouldn't be fair to her; he couldn't offer her what she deserved. He did her an injustice every time he turned away the Lords and Princes that sought the gorgeous young woman to be their bride. He stopped them and he was not entirely sure why. Yes, she asked him to stop them, but since when did she always know best?

She had grown into a magnificently beautiful woman. She was as bright as the sun and rounded in all the right places. Every man she passed, demons too, yearned for her in their beds. Every woman she passed, demons too, hated her for her beauty. Dark chocolate eyes framed by thick eyelashes… Full, red lips so often curved in a smile. It was selfish, unjust, of him to keep her from a world she could so easily rule, and keep her by his side, damned to die alone. Well, not alone, with him. But that was not fair to her; he could never deserve the love she gave him so freely.

And yet he selfishly allowed her to keep following him and the little toad. Even if she just went with humans then she would at least be able to lead a fulfilling life, husband, children, and everything. If she stayed with him, she'd never have the perfect life she deserved. It was true that demons would consort with humans from time to time, demons often had human lovers. His father was a case in point… But that had been a shame, hadn't it? Sesshoumaru was too great to take a human lover, wasn't he? And Rin deserved more than that…

He was suddenly broken from his reverie by an odd smell… he smelled tears. He whipped his head around to see Rin, and indeed, she was crying. She had pulled her knees to her chest and begun crying into her kimono. He looked around quickly, she wasn't hurt… why was she crying?

"Rin, what is the matter?" He asked urgently as he knelt next to her.

"I am sorry, nothing is the matter." She whispered, though tears continued to pour down her sweet face.

Rin was mortified. She had cried many times before, but not within Sesshoumaru's sight. Now he'd know, though she didn't know how he couldn't already know her terrible secret, the love she held for her protector. He bent towards her and took her face in his clawed hands. He looked concerned.

"Tell me, what is wrong?" He asked.

"Really, it is nothing. I am sorry…" She said.

He looked into her eyes. Obviously something was wrong, her tears were not stopping. He pulled her closer to him, not really sure what the compulsion overtaking him was. He stroked her hair and pressed her against his chest. He swallowed hard, confused and worried at his actions. To his surprise her tears had stopped. She gasped, apparently as surprised as he at his actions.

"Obviously there is something wrong. Tell me, please." He said softly, his deep chest rumbling against her.

Rin realized she had probably died and gone to heaven if Sesshoumaru was holding her. His hand was slowly stroking her hair and he had pressed her against his chess. Yes, even this close to him, it was perfect… Her tears had stopped and she was now feeling that was not sadness. Her middle was warming and her head was getting swimmy. He was so perfect, and so exquisitely close.

Rin had snuggled right up against him. The tears were gone, but what had replaced them was not much better. She had immediately begun to smell of heady arousal and it was all he could think of. Her sweet, warm, aroused scent was all the stronger for being closer. She bent her head to look up at him. Her eyes were glazed and happy. She was beautiful and warm in is arms.

"Really, nothing is wrong; I just want something I can never ever have." She whispered to him and a single tear trailed down her flushed cheek.

And he suddenly realized what she meant. She meant the thing she wanted was _him… _She wanted him for all the imperfections life with him meant. He wiped the tear away and looked into her eyes. God, she was perfect… not only was she lovely but she was lying in his lap but she was _asking _for him.

"I can't think of anything you can't have." He whispered, electricity jolting his spine.

He took his hand and cupped her head in his hand and angled her face to his. Her mouth parted, probably to ask him what he meant, but he took the opportunity of her parted lips for something quite different. He bent his face to hers and lightly pressed his lips to hers. To his surprise she more than returned the kiss, she deepened it. Her arms leapt around his neck and she snaked her tongue into his. He was surprised by her reaction and dropped her out of his lap. She fell softly on the dirt in front of him and flushed a deep red. She was obviously greatly embarrassed by her reaction. He was even more embarrassed by his; he had been the one to kiss her to begin with, after all. He had just been taken aback by her enthusiasm.

"I am so sorry!" She cried. "I did not mean to… I—I just…"

"No, no Rin, I am sorry." He said while grabbing her back in his arms.

She was ashamed of herself, he had finally kissed her and she had overreacted! She was confused, what was even going on? He had kissed her, right? Tears had once again found themselves sliding down her face. He put her on his lap again and was looking at her intently.

"Rin, I am sorry, I shouldn't have done that. You deserve better than I." He said softly.

"Me? Deserve better than you? But you're perfect!" She cried.

"I am not perfect. I am not one of your kind. I can't offer you the kind of life you deserve." He said in a husky voice.

"But I love you!" She shouted, thoroughly quieting him.

She loved him? She _loved _him? She loved him! And as much as he didn't want to admit it, oh lord did he love her… From the moment she began following him he knew he would always protect her. And she had continued to surprise him, following him after so many years. She never faltered, even after seeing him change to his demon form and even kill those of her kind. So many times humans had tried to take her away from him and she had denied them all, instead staying with him.

He looked at her, red and teary-eyed, looking at her with such passion in her bright eyes. She was beautiful, staring at him, her breath coming in ragged peals. Her hands were tight little fists. He could tell her that she didn't belong with him and drop her off at a village and never think of her again… but he would think of her again. He could take her in his arms and tell her that she was perfect for him. He could make her his mate, the mother of his children. He was strong enough to fight off the naysayers and their children would be half-demons, but they'd be strong. Inuyasha was strong and his children with that human woman, Kagome, were turning out to be strong as well… It could be done, couldn't it? What was more important was that if it wasn't done, he would probably end up killing himself.

"Rin, I love you too." He said, holding his arms at his side in defeat.

She smiled and dove into his arms, knocking him over. Her arms entwined with him she giggled wildly. He found her face and pulled it to his, kissing her with defeated victory fueling his fevered kisses. She enthusiastically returned his kisses. Finally they came up for air and he graced her with one of his incredibly rare, incredibly perfect smiles. He held her close and watched as she returned his smile with one of her also incredibly perfect but significantly less rare ones.

They heard a scuffling noise from across the campfire. Jakken was up and they were twisted together within his sight. He stood up with his hands on his hips looking grim. Rin blushed and Sesshoumaru frowned.

"Finally. I could barely breath for all the angst in the air!" He barked. "I'll just give you two some privacy, then." The toad said before shuffling out of the clearing.

Rin giggled, Jakken could be alright. Sesshoumaru frowned at the toad's presumption… but he had been right, after all. And at least he was giving them privacy. The thoughts flashing through his mind required privacy.

"Perfect." He growled as he flipped over on top of her, she smiled at him.

"Perfect." She agreed, pulling him closer.


	16. Reconciliation with Love

Title: Reconciliation with Love

Summary: Sesshoumaru thinks back on love's role in his life.

* * *

Sesshoumaru had a very low opinion of the emotion known as love. He had never seen a positive outcome from it. He had very little of it in his life and reveled in that fact. For, at the very best, love was a simpering, silly weakness. He had very neatly excised it from his life. He hadn't conquered lands for the sake of love, he didn't murder thousands for love, and he didn't do anything for love. He had as little to do with it as possible.

As a youth he had thought that he loved his father. His father was a powerful, dignified demon and he had believed that his father loved him back. But now he knew this to be a falsehood. He had loved the _idea _of the Great Dog Demon General. But in action the old man had lost it all for a silly, simpering love to a human woman… and their filthy, half-breed offspring, Inuyasha. His father could not have ever loved Sesshoumaru because if he had, surely he would have bequeathed him the Tessaiga. And so his father's memory left only a bitter tang of ignorance and idiocy in his mouth. No love, certainly.

His mother was a more complicated case. He did not claim to love the maddening woman, but he did have his most formal ties to her, if only because she had never actually disgraced them, and for the powers left to her by her deceased husband. She was a bizarre, inexplicable woman whose motives had been forever clouded from him. She loved him, or so she claimed, but he held no sentimental connection to her. She was an obligation.

Inuyasha, that malformed half-wit he could certainly never be construed to even tolerate, nonetheless love. Sesshoumaru would gladly see his half-blood half-sibling dead, so long as it was by his hand, of course. Love had no hold whatsoever or either party.

His retainer, Jakken he could not be prevailed upon to do anything more than tolerate. The imp managed to complete the few tasks he could be entrusted, but there was nothing more than convenience in their relationship. He had been hatched before Sesshoumaru's birth as his specific servant, but he was in no way proficient in his offices. He was tolerated because of his perversely unwavering loyalty, which had its conveniences. And AhUn, his pack beast, was certainly not a candidate.

Women had never been able to eke out any particular place in his heart or even in his esteems. Demon women were silly and driven more frequently by madness than anything else. Eventually he would choose among the tribes a suitable mate of royal lines to breed with so he'd have the appropriate heirs, but he could never imagine such a ridiculous, vain creature to actually gain some sentiment from him.

He often heard rumors that "The Great Lord Sesshoumaru has fallen in love with a human girl." But they were incorrect. They referred to his ward, a human girl named Rin. Well, she was now more a woman than a girl, but still, she was his ward. He allowed her to travel with them after he, in a test of power, revived her because it was the most responsible thing to do. He figured she'd leave soon enough. She didn't. A few years later after Naraku was defeated he took her to Dog Demon Castle but that was so he could be ensured of her safety without being with her constantly, not because of any affection.

He had hired instructors and maids to turn her into a great lady, but that was more for himself than her, she'd have been happy running in the fields. But any ward of his should be well versed in the many domestic arts. He bought her many robes and kimonos and hair ornaments, but that was so she would properly reflect his status. And now it had been a number of years since she had been taken to the Castle. She was a young woman now, if he could guess, of seventeen. He came to the Castle at least once a season to see her, but that wasn't because he loved her, it was because he… needed to check on her…

"Lord Sesshoumaru?" A stunningly beautiful woman asked as she peered into his chambers.

"Yes, Rin?" He responded. Had he just thought of her as beautiful?

For a human she was certainly astounding, but he had seen demons with greater looks. But there was something about her that was soft, changing, and intangible to him that made her surpass what he'd seen in all his 187 years. Her dark, shining brown eyes sung of her happiness at seeing him. Her delicate body was wrapped in the expensive silk kimono he'd brought her on his return.

"My Lord, it is snowing!" She proclaimed happily as she approached him.

"Is that so surprising, it is winter?" He asked blandly.

"Oh, but it is so lovely!" She exclaimed.

He couldn't help but think that whatever precipitation was falling outside couldn't be as lovely as the young woman standing before him…not that he loved her or even her looks.

"As lovely as your flowers in the spring?" He prodded.

"Certainly not." She said dismissively. "But I must enjoy both short-lived seasons."

Lovely and short-lived, like her, he thought. She would be gone one day when he returned from his battles. Whether she left now to find her kind or in fifty years when age took her entirely from him, she'd one day or another be gone.

"I will be leaving shortly." He said suddenly.

"Oh." She said softly, tears springing to her eyes. "But you have only been home for three days." She cried miserably.

"I have pressing matters to attend to. And besides, once I leave your maids can resume their hunt for a suitable husband for you." He said, afraid she could hear the note of bitterness in it.

"I don't want them to find me a husband." She sobbed miserably.

It was getting harder and harder for him to leave. And he feared it was not only because she was getting more clingy but because he was having a harder time leaving her to cry for him.

"You don't want a husband? You don't want children?" He found himself asking.

"Well, no, I do, I suppose. But not if he takes me from you." She plead, the sincerity evident in her voice.

"Rin." He said, as warningly firm as he could manage.

"Sesshoumaru!" She cried, dropping his title as she'd never before done.

"Rin." He growled.

"You must know! I love you. I love you so much. I would rather die than not say it." She wailed, her beautiful face streaming with tears.

She loved him. Somewhere deep down he had known this, she was a simpering weak human, how could she avoid loving him. But what was he to do with her now?

She fell to her knees before him, begging him for an answer he could never give. The girl he had taken care of for nine years was now asking him something he finally couldn't give. She was exquisitely beautiful in her sadness. Her kimono had fallen open and he could see her creamy legs. He realized that he wanted her physically. But she wasn't asking for just him physically. Perhaps he could deign to rut with her, but he could never, ever love, not even for her.

She stood up and stepped forward to him. He didn't move. He was conflicted at least seven different ways. He couldn't… wouldn't love her, but his body was reacting more strongly to her bared legs than he could have ever imagined. The young woman pressed herself into him and ducked her teary face into his collarbone. He went stiff, movement wasn't helping his cause.

"Rin, you are a human. This can't be." Sesshoumaru growled with wavering certainty.

"I know, but if I can't have you, I'd rather die." She whispered into his neck. "I love you, so much…"

Love was clearly really not one of his favorite emotions, but to hear it from Rin's lips it sounded so much more… appealing than it ever had. She'd been with him all these years now and he had come to find her… indispensible. Did he love her? Hard to say, but there was something about the little human woman that caused Sesshoumaru to stop and wonder at the word. He didn't want her to leave, to find a human mate and never think again on him. Sesshoumaru began to imagine rutting with her, holding her, watching her hold his children… and her love for him had been there for so long now that it had become a part of him, a part that he didn't wish to let go…

Her hot anxious breath blew down his neck. She was very scared, her fear mixing with her scent strangely. He let arm slowly wrap around her, supporting her shaking frame. This caused her breath to catch and she leaned back in his grasp to gaze hopefully up at him, her warm brown eyes begging him. He wasn't sure if he could love her, but he'd try. Perhaps he already did, perhaps he always had.

He lowered his lips slowly to her forehead and let them rest a moment there before moving down to meet hers. At that moment she lit up like a firework, her long hidden lust breaking free and causing her to writhe in his grasp. It was too much, or just enough, he didn't know. But what he did know was that this time, while he was making love, it would be much more literal than it had ever been before. To revel in the weakness that was love was his newly found greatest desire. Maybe his father had loved him _and _Izayoi. Perhaps his mother new he'd loved Rin from the very moment she revived Rin. Perhaps that human woman truly loved his half-wit of a brother. He didn't know, but it seemed a lot clearer than it ever had before.


	17. Seperation

Title: Separation

Summary: Rin has been left behind by Lord Sesshoumaru. This is a long one, but a one-shot, so I am putting it here. I think it's really good. Writing in first person when I'm used to third person was amazingly hard, so appreciate it.

* * *

Separation really does make the heart fonder. I know this because it has been five years since I have seen Lord Sesshoumaru and my heart aches for him more deeply every day. He left me here in this village when I turned thirteen. He did not explain why. He didn't say goodbye. He didn't tell me when he'd be back. He just walked me to the edge of the village and waited for a terrified human to stumble up to him, holding a pitchfork in defense.

"Demon!" The terrified man had screamed.

"Take this girl and care for her as you would a princess. If you do not I shall find out and you shall know your death." Sesshoumaru had growled before dropping a heavy bag of gold on the ground and leaving for parts unknown.

Now I sat on the shrine stairs scrubbing the dirt with a brush and water. No, they did not treat me as a princess. They weren't unkind to me, just terrified of the girl who had lived with a demon. They had me forsworn to the temple's service and I worked as a respectable maid. All my food, clothes, and supplies were provided for; after all, the gold Lord Sesshoumaru had given them was more than the village had seen in all their collective lifetimes.

The stone was cold beneath my knees. It reminded me of him, cold and yet firm beneath me, supporting me. Everything reminded me of him. I imagine he left me here so I could be a human and find those enjoyments humans so desperately seek, marriage, children, family. But I am afraid my only enjoyment was him.

"Rin-chan!" A happily breathless cry tore at my thoughts.

I stood up and wiped the sweat from my brows. Miki, a fellow temple dedicate such as myself was running toward me with a grin on her round face. She was a year younger than I and was probably the only person who bothered befriending me.

"Is something wrong?" I asked calmly.

"Oh no, Rin! Nothing is wrong! Something is very right! I have some wonderful news for you!" She hopped up and down.

For a moment thoughts of Lord Sesshoumaru sweeping down the village searching for me burst into my thoughts. They were immediately squelched, the villagers, including Miki, would not consider that to be _good _news.

"What is it?" I asked blandly, trying to hide the pain I'd inadvertently caused myself.

"It is Koichi, the head man's son! He has chosen his bride!" Miki squealed.

"Oh really, is it you?" Koichi was a kind man, if a little plain, he'd treat Miki well, and he was certainly rich enough.

"No, I wish! Rin-chan, Lord Koichi has chosen you for his bride!" Miki sung happily.

"M-me?" I asked, horrified.

Koichi wanted me to be the future Lady of the village? He wanted me to be his wife? Why? It was a stroke of luck, really, but I was not thrilled at all. How could I marry any man who wasn't Sesshoumaru? Yes, I was just as hung up about him as I ever was. Tears threatened to escape my eyes and bile rose in my throat.

"Yes you! The whole village was wondering why he picked you because… well, you know, the demon and all but he said that the reason he was picking you was exactly that, because of the demon! He says that if the demon brought you to us and told us to treat you as royalty, then it meant you probably _were _royalty! He said that if the demon thought so highly of you so should we. And also that it was in the best interest of the village… Well, he had a lot to say, actually… I can't really remember it all. I suppose he'll tell you everything when he comes here tonight to officially propose!" Miki gibbered.

I swallowed. My tongue was thick in my mouth but I managed to make a vague thanking noise in Miki's direction and I was happy when the girl cantered off. I definitely needed a moment to regain myself.

The news was hard. Even though I have not seen her Lord in five years a part of me had always thought he would be coming for me. I dreamt of a world where he was in love with me… or at least loved me. Now grim reality was pressing in on me. Koichi was a good man with a title, land, and wealth. I couldn't do better, in the real world. Back when I was a little girl, living among my human family, I had been impoverished, never dreaming of more than a full belly. But even with that in mind I couldn't assuage this deep regret I felt.

I couldn't hold on to it forever, could I? Would I die an old maid, waiting for my Lord? It wasn't a half-bad idea, really. But could I spit in his face by denying this life, his first and last gift to me? No. Lord Koichi, though mortal and unattractive, was all I could ever hope for. I would marry him and die as a Lady. Not a Lady of the Western lands, but a Lady of this tiny village.

I abandoned my scrubbing in light of this news. I wouldn't be held accountable for it now, certainly. And if I was… well, what was a beating to the pain I endured on a daily basis? I left my brush on them and ran off into the corpse of trees on the side of the temple. It was a crisp fall morning and the leaves crunched beneath my naked feet. In the center I collapsed into a pile and wallowed in my own misery.

I could still remember so vividly the time just before he left me. It was a time that haunted me relentlessly, what had I done to seal my sad fate? Tears flowed freely as I began to recall that time five years earlier.

It had been late spring and the weather was unseasonably warm. A lanky thirteen year old version of myself had been trailing miserably behind my Lord and his other vassals.

"Hurry up you insolent girl!" Jakken cried mercilessly.

"I am coming Lord Jakken!" I replied as I bounced forward.

It was hot, but not really too bad. The true source of my agony was the monthly cycles that had begun only the month previously. It had been a remarkably embarrassing event for me. I had found blood in my under things and begun to cry. I believed myself cursed or wounded. But when my Lord found me weeping by the stream he already seemed to know what ailed me.

"Rin, stop crying. You have become a woman now, that is all. The blood comes and goes once a moon." He explained distantly.

Jakken then came baring cotton cloths I was to use to catch the blood. Though I was extremely embarrassed, I hadn't thought overly much on it. That is, until the following cycle, when painful cramping made it hard to walk quickly behind my Lord. It was that sticky summer night when he spoke to me in unusual length.

"Rin, you are a young woman now, do you not wish to be with your own kind?" He asked, his face shadowed from me.

"Of course not!" I responded truthfully. "I have never trusted humans; I wish only to be with you, my Lord!" I proclaimed boldly.

I had gotten it in my childish thirteen-year-old head that Lord Sesshoumaru loved me as more than a companion and the reason he kept me around was so that I could be his wife when I had grown. Looking back I am ashamed at my silliness and I believe he knew of the thoughts that flourished in my mind. I would be ignorant to believe that I kept my thoughts secret from that ancient Dog Demon. He could likely smell it, even if he couldn't sense it.

"You know not of what you speak." He responded firmly to my heady declarations.

I chewed lightly on my lip as he stalked out of the fireside. I know now that I had offended him most grievously, but at the time I thought little on it and went to sleep soundly by the fire by myself. My Lord had sent Jakken and AhUn, the dragon, on some sort of trivial mission leaving him alone with me, something I reveled in. But it meant that, with him gone, I was alone.

Sometime during the night, probably close to dawn, I awoke when I heard a scrambling across the clearing from me.

"Lord Sesshoumaru?" I called quietly, but nothing answered.

I sat up, panic sinking in when suddenly a thick, hairy hand covered my mouth, effectively squelching my scream. It was a large badger demon; he must have been a fairly strong demon for his form was half human. His eyes were a cloudy red and he seemed in some thrall. Without removing the hand he held over my mouth, he ripped my kimono open, revealing my budding breasts. I didn't immediately realize he meant to rape me, for I hadn't fathomed it ever before, but his disturbingly engorged male organs quickly revealed his intent to me.

There was absolutely nothing I could do about it. The most inferior demons could overpower me, and this one seemed to be rather strong. I just prayed, not to the gods, but to Lord Sesshoumaru, that somehow he would pick that moment to come back. My robes were decimated and the Badger Demon was beginning to remove his own. If My Lord hadn't chosen just that moment to return, my innocence would have been robbed and there would have been absolutely nothing I could do about it.

Very, very luckily for me, he did indeed come, whether by luck or by scent or by some perception I was ignorant of, I will never know. But I felt the weight lift off of me and with my mouth freed, I screamed. When I blinked the tears of my eyes I saw that Lord Sesshoumaru's eyes were red and his jaw was elongated in a fanged fury. He had the badger demon by the throat and his claws were imbedded in the flesh of his neck.

"Senki." I heard my Lord growl out. The Badger smiled weakly with a mocking air, apparently this was his name. Even at the time, naked and nearly raped I found it extraordinary that Lord Sesshoumaru should know my attempted rapist.

"Yes, Sesshoumaru, you fool. Are all Dog Demons weakened so by human women?" The Badger gurgled, blood flowing from his lips.

With that My Lord slew the demon neatly, rage filling his features. The look in his eyes terrified me because it was not directed at the fallen Badger, but me. I lay before him, naked and bruised and now fearing for my life from the man I loved. I think he sensed my fear for he turned away and let the red drain from his eyes. When he turned back he looked rather more sympathetic.

"Are you hurt?" He asked.

"N-n-no." I stuttered.

"Then wash and put on another of your kimonos. I will be near." Lord Sesshoumaru said comfortingly.

When I had properly washed and was feeling a trifle better, I returned to the campfire to find the Badger's body had been removed and the fire had been banked. Lord Sesshoumaru sat pensively on a stump on the edge of it. He looked like he was thinking on something that happened long ago, recalling a painful memory. I knelt near him in the dewy grass and awaited his orders. I hoped he didn't think less of me for being so powerless in the prevention of my attempted rape. Eventually he broke his silence.

"Rin, are you okay?" He asked me, a cloudy look in his eyes.

"Yes, My Lord." I replied shyly.

"Good. I see he did not succeed in his insult to you and This Sesshoumaru." He said more to himself than me. I nodded my assent. "Follow me." He said as he stood up and began walking slowly down a rather well traveled path just outside the clearing we had camped in.

I followed as quickly as I could, for I was sore from my cycle as well as the bruising my assault had caused. He walked slowly to accommodate my stumbling. But even at the slow pace I set, we reached his determined destination a little after high noon. He stopped on the edge of a village; I could see the smoke rising from tidy little wooden shacks. It seemed a fine little village to me, but I was confused, My Lord avoided humans whenever possible.

He stood still and proud on the outer circle of the village, awaiting something he knew would happen that I had yet to foresee. I began to fear for my fate, I could see that the end could be nothing but terrible on our current path. I dropped to my knees, tears stinging my eyes.

"Lord Sesshoumaru, why are we here? I don't want to be here." I cried.

"Rin, you belong here." He replied in a firm, quiet voice.

"I belong with you." I pleaded senselessly.

"I am a Great Demon Lord; you are a useless human whelp." He said harshly breaking my heart neatly in twain.

I was unable to further protest, so pathetically weak I had become. It was not long till a villager, a middle aged man with a pitchfork, staggered forward.

"Demon!" He screamed.

"Take this girl and care for her as you would a princess. If you do not I shall find out and you shall know your death." Sesshoumaru had growled before dropping a heavy bag of gold on the ground and leaving for parts unknown.

That was my last memory of my beloved Lord. Every day since I have spent pining over him, heartbroken and disconsolate. The villagers were not cruel, for they feared the wrath of the demon that left me, but they would not accept me either. It bothered me little, why would I care if those people liked me if my Lord had left me? Five years I have spent waiting on them, feeding them, cleaning after them. I suppose at least that if I married Lord Koichi, I would be free to mourn full time.

I was suddenly brutally shaken out of my reverie. Miki had returned. She looked concerned as she hovered over me.

"Rin, what is it?" She asked.

"Oh, it is nothing." I said dismissively.

"You cannot possibly be upset for the match between you and the young Lord?" She inquired anxiously.

"No, nothing of the sort." I soothed. The crease in her brow lessened somewhat.

"Then what is it?" She cried plaintively.

"I am just… incredibly… happy." I managed.

The words seemed ludicrous to my ear, but she seemed properly satisfied with that answer and grabbed my hand and dragged me into the bathhouses so I might be properly cleaned and kitted out in the formal orange robes of the dedicates for this evening's imminent proposal. I was able to temporarily surrender myself to her ministrations and lose myself in the scrubbing and situation of my hair. I doubted severely that she could make my appearance less insulting in the course of one evening.

The sun set more quickly than normal, it seemed, and tall torches full of incense were lit all about the shrines and temples. The monks and priestesses were apt to make a good impression on their young Lord. I was left to meditate in the courtyard, awaiting my fate with much fear. Lord Koichi and his attendants did not keep me waiting long. Their arrival was announced by the clipping of hooves on the temple's stone pathways before the sun had fully set.

"I wish to speak with Lady Rin." The young Lord's even voice called out to the general square. So I was already a Lady? Hah, if only I'd been treated as such…

"I am here, My Lord." I replied politely, directing his attention to my small crouched form.

"Indeed. You look as lovely as ever, my Lady." He said.

As rough as his features were, I noticed that there was a certain warm openness that generally made his countenance favorable to look at. He was a tall, broad lad of his mid-twenties. Lord Koichi was generally acclaimed by the village as the finest young man in all the land. And he was the heir to the headman and a large fortune. I could not be found wanting if I were to be his Lady.

"Thank you, My Lord." I responded in what a fear was little more than a whisper. He smiled graciously at me.

"I doubt that you are ignorant of what brings me here this evening, it seems well enough known to all." He said pleasantly, his mouth rising in a smile.

"I have heard something of it, though of its veracity I cannot testify." I said politely.

"Your words show a wisdom I find uncommon in women, I most pleased to see that. A lively mind makes a good companion. And so I will repeat what I said to the elders this morning to you, my desired audience in the first place. Lady Rin it is high time I took a wife. I have a position of responsibility in this land and I have done poorly to delay my marriage to a Lady of distinction as far as I have. But my reasoning has been good, I think, because I have been waiting for you to be of a marrying age." He explained kindly.

"Me?" I asked, generally alarmed at his intent.

"Yes, you, Lady Rin." He said as he dismounted off his fine black horse. He stepped closer to me and pulled me off my knees. "Five years ago the Great Dog Demon, the very Daiyoukai of the West, brought you to this village and demanded that we treat you as royalty. We haven't fulfilled our task yet, but I mean to mend that. If the Great Dog Demon believes you of consequence despite his renowned hate for our kind, then I am sure of your greatness." Koichi continued kindly.

I flinched with the mention of Lord Sesshoumaru, but did not bear Koichi ill will for it; he knew not how it pained me. He was wrong though, I was an orphan, an outcast. Why my Lord Sesshoumaru deigned to let me follow him, I will undoubtedly never know, but it was not for any merit of my own. How would I entreat Lord Koichi to leave me to my servitude?

"Lord Koichi, your attentions pay me a compliment greater than I deserve. I of am no consequence." I said softly.

"Oh and you are modest, too! I assure you there can be no doubt of your eminence." He implored of me.

"I… I am not at all a worthy candidate for your… affections." I pleaded.

"But how could you doubt your merit? You are the most beauteous woman in the entire village if not the world and you come from a heritage that cannot be denied by any, and more than that I have found you to be as wise and modest as I might wish. Please, My Lady, put away your notions of inferiority and hear me. My Lady Rin, I, Lord Koichi of the Tamashiko House and heir to the land of Ishiko, ask for your hand in marriage, would you be my wife, the honored Lady of this village?" He asked with such conviction of heart that I found myself immediately sure that, had I never met Lord Sesshoumaru, I would find Lord Koichi quite enchanting.

He had asked outright, and I could not diffuse his proposal any further. To refuse would be a grave insult to the whole village and an even graver insult to Lord Sesshoumaru, to whom the refusal would be a denial of the gift of life he gave me.

"I… accept with the utmost graciousness." I said softly, but with surety of mind.

He smiled broadly at my acceptance and ran his finger along my jaw line, a sign of a greater affection than I had hoped for. His men applauded and roared uproariously, happy for their master's conquest. Koichi took me by the waist and placed me on the pommel of his horse's saddle. His hands were large and steady, if a little calloused, on my waist. He vaulted up behind me and we cantered down to the Great House where a celebration had already begun, apparently the villagers didn't venture to assume I'd do anything but accept.

The Great House's hall was filled with all the villagers. If they were skeptical of Koichi's choice, then they were already too drunk to show it. Koichi dismounted and pulled me lightly off of his horse's back. He seemed joyous, reveling in the congratulations. I tried to seem as happy as a girl in my position should, but I fear the strain in my smiles showed because Miki was eyeing me suspiciously. The old Lord, now in his late fifties, sat at the head of the table offering restrained congratulations to his son. It had been that crusty old man's judgment that I be nothing more than a temple dedicate.

Now, however, he seemed to be resigned to have me as a daughter. I found out during the revelry that my wedding to Lord was planned for two day's hence. It was fast, but it was not as if I really had anything to wait for. The time before the wedding I was to spend with the Ladies of the Great House who would groom and clothe me for the wedding.

I didn't know the women, but they seemed highly curious of me and of a nice enough sort. The following day was spent largely on a platform before a mirror as a series of white kimonos were wrapped about me. It was eventually decided that a particularly delicate white silk robe with pink cherry blossoms embroidered on it would serve as my wedding dress. It was nicer than anything I had worn for the past five years by far, but it was not nearly as nice as the priceless kimonos that my Lord Sesshoumaru had commissioned for me.

But it was with a heavy heart I endured. I wished it were for my Lord that I was being prepared. Lord Koichi paid me a number of visits during that day. He was obviously rather taken with me, though I could never imagine a guess at what he could see in me besides a broken girl. I accepted it with grim compliance. He was to be my husband, and while I doubted I'd be able to ever love him as I loved my Lord Sesshoumaru, I wanted to disappoint him as little as possible.

The wedding day came quickly and without the delay my regrets could hope for. The chances that Sesshoumaru would decide to come in the next few days when he had not come for the past five years were slim, but I found myself wont to hope. I was awoken by my serving maids before the sun had risen. It was the day of my wedding and it wasn't to the one man I would always love. But it was to a nice man and I could not hope for more.

I was bathed in oils and lotions and my hair was perfumed. Ornaments were arranged in my calf-length tresses. Red lip paint was rubbed on my lips and kohl was applied to me eyelids. And finally I was delicately wrapped in the white cherry blossom kimono. When I was finally allowed to gaze at myself in a mirror I was shocked to see that I truly did look like a Lady. It had been a long time since I saw a mirror and I was amazed to see that I really was a beauty. My rich chocolate eyes were sad, but my face was fine featured and my lips full. All this was framed by my dark brown hair that cascaded down my back.

I would never know whether or not Lord Sesshoumaru would approve of my appearance, but I flattered myself to imagine that he would not be ashamed. The ladies all exclaimed my beauty and endeavored to lead me out to the Temple Plaza were the ceremony would take place. It was midmorning by now and the sun was shining lazily down on the little village. It was a long ceremonious walk to the distant Temple.

When I reached it I was unsurprised to see the entire Chapel lit and trails of incense floating up towards the bright blue sky. The entire village was gathered on the either side of the grand landing. In the middle stood the Head Priest in formal garb, Lord Koichi in traditional robes, and his father the Old Lord in rather regular robes. I supposed that he condescended to be there at all was compliment enough. My ladies urged me forward.

I flushed as I saw Lord Koichi's blissful expression upon seeing me. It was hard to believe he felt for me the way he seemed, but I shouldn't scorn what great happiness was supplied to me, even if it was not Sesshoumaru. My ears hummed as the Priest began his ritual chants, my heart and mind was elsewhere. My eyes I allowed to wander from Lord Koichi's painfully happy visage and onto the valley below the temple. I supposed that the valley would soon be mine in title. It was lovely and lush. I let my eyes wandered the span of it when she caught a completely baffling sight.

_He _was standing down in the valley near the woods. _Him_, my heart's greatest desire. _Sesshoumaru._ I immediately believed myself to be hallucinating. Hope did make the mind wild for he seemed so real, so complete. His long silver hair and bone armor were clear to me from this distance. I stared at him in a wonderment which I can only imagine tipped my fiancée off for I heard him exclaim. I am not sure what it is he said exactly because my senses were too fuzzy for anything other than Lord Sesshoumaru.

It was then I figured Sesshoumaru was not an apparition of my direst hopes because the gathered people began to exclaim and whisper about the "Great Dog Demon's presence". I broke my long gaze to meet the eyes of Koichi. They held shock at the sight but with my gaze upon him he met my eyes and within his expression I found the permission I so wanted.

"Go to him, he is surely here to see you." Koichi said gently.

Before he had so much as uttered the last syllable of his statement I took off down the Temple steps at a sprint. My lacquer shoes were long forgotten on the upper steps and my kimono was loosening as I ran. Tears slipped from my eyes and I knew they weren't from the sting of the wind. It was both a very long and very short time till I reached the meadow in which he was standing. I came to a stop a few yards away from him panting with exertion.

"Rin I did not come to interrupt the service, merely to observe, I hope you haven't insulted your husband." He said to me, his voice the same deep, rich tone I remembered so vividly.

"Lord… Lord Sesshoumaru!" I rasped painfully, I am sure he could hear the tears in my voice.

"Yes, Rin?" He asked, I couldn't read any emotion on his face, as usual.

"_Lord Sesshoumaru_, you've come!" I cried helplessly. Would that I had the words to express my feelings!

"I have, Rin." He said simply.

"I am so… exceedingly… glad." I whimpered.

"You are marrying on this day?" He asked tonelessly.

"I…was…but…I…" I stuttered uselessly.

"This doesn't please you? Is the man not to your liking?" He asked.

"I don't wish to marry…to marry anyone… but you." I admitted painfully, falling to my knees.

Sesshoumaru made no answer. He stood in stony silence, gazing at me with his burning amber eyes. He didn't look _angry_ but he didn't look anything, really. He was devoid of emotion at my deepest most hidden desire. I could only hold his gaze for a moment before I had to drop my head and let the kohl-smeared tears land on my kimono. My heart was breaking anew, but I would never complain, just setting sight upon him was enough to add value to the past five years of my life.

I was utterly shocked and dismayed when I felt a claw gently raise my chin. I was surprised when his amber eyes met mine at an amazingly close distance. He seemed unusually quiescent, like he was battling some inner thoughts.

"Please, don't leave me again." I begged softly.

"If it is truly what you wish, I won't." He replied hoarsely.

"I have never wished something more." I admitted.

He crouched low in front of me and placed his hands on my shoulders, as if he were fortifying me through the action. He seemed distracted in his thoughts, something I had never seen in him before. He was perfection, the most handsome being I had ever seen. I loved him indomitably. Feebly I leaned forward and pressed a tentative, clumsy kiss on his mouth. His mouth was stony beneath mine, but I still felt entirely enflamed.

With renewed alacrity of thought I kissed him hard and passionately. At first he remained entirely unaffected by my ministration, but after an indeterminate amount of time I felt him rumble beneath me in what I can only assume was a growl. His lips caught mine and began to kiss me back with an expertise and proficiency that escaped me.

After he kissed the breath neatly from me, gasping, I was allowed to surface for air and only then because his attentions had been relocated to my neck. I wound my hands in his robes and moaned softly in bliss. He eventually stopped, his breath as ragged as mine. The villagers were standing on the edge of the Temple courtyard staring at them in wonderment. Lord Koichi was rather pale, but otherwise seemed only mildly surprised. On the whole, the crowd was tense. I could see Miki standing on the edge of the crowd. On her face was the most exquisite smile.

"Rin, I am tired of running from my fate. I have watched you these past years, you have grown to be a beautiful woman, but your sadness pains me. Would you come to castle with me? Jakken and AhUn are there and I can promise you much finer wedding robes…" He rumbled softly to me.

"You need to ask? Can you not smell my happy assent?" I asked happily.

"I thought it proper to ask anyway." He said with an amused air in his voice.

I smiled beatifically.


	18. Sesshoumaru's Flower

Title: Sesshoumaru's Flower

Summary: Rin and Sesshoumaru make some resolutions in the garden.

* * *

Rin was sitting in the middle of her spacious quarters on top of the petals from the dozens of flowers she had spent the better part of the morning pulling apart. The room now smelled of roses and her fingers were stained with pollen. She felt a moment's regret when she thought of the servants cleaning it up before the night came; it wasn't fair that she put her suffering on them. Rin sighed. 

"Rin!" Jakken's familiar croaky voice called out from the doorway.

"Yes, Master Jakken?" She asked formally.

The toad scrambled into her chambers. He paused as he saw the destroyed roses.

"Silly girl, are there no better recreations to occupy your time? Ideally ones that don't exponentially increase my work." He sputtered angrily.

"I am sorry, Jakken." She responded morosely.

"You really are a fool." He said at length. She glared at him. "Just because the Lord indulges you by overlooking your idiocy does not mean I will. Every time he comes here you light up like a firework and then when he leaves you become a zombie. Do not think you have fooled me. _I _have to been commanded to stay here and **protect** you. That includes from silly crushes on our Lord."

Rin scowled angrily, but her mouth almost immediately resettled in a sad pout. As cruel as Jakken was being about it, he was right. She _did_ have a wildly foolhardy crush on her Lord. When Jakken saw her sad countenance he dropped his chiding stance and replaced it with one of consolation.

"I know, Master Jakken. I am completely deluded. You won't tell Lord Sesshoumaru, will you?" She pleaded.

"Heh, as if I need to. You forget our Lord's prowess, he undoubtedly knows. After all, he the most powerful demon in the land." Jakken declared with pride.

"Oh no…" Rin whispered with mortification.

"Don't get yourself worked up. He has probably known since the moment you developed your imprudent infatuation and has not yet jettisoned you from his presence. I have no idea why he continues to indulge you, but one such as I cannot hope to second guess Lord Sesshoumaru." Jakken said haughtily.

"God, how shall I ever face him again?" Rin cried.

"Well you better figure it out soon, he has just arrived." Jakken announced. "I will send your ladies in, the Lord wishes to see you in the garden posthaste."

"Oh double damned luck!" Rin yelped.

"Don't keep him waiting." Jakken said before stalking out of the room.

Rin's ladies entered her chambers mere seconds after Jakken left. One was a stumpy toad demon like Jakken and the other was a minor doe demon with soft brown eyes. They said their greetings but Rin was unable to return them. It would be exceedingly mortifying to see her Lord knowing that he knew of her irrational love.

It seemed like a millisecond before the ladies had her in a flowing kimono of many layers, had her hair brushed thoroughly, and had stained her lips. The servants dismissed themselves seeing their mistress was clearly too distracted to do so herself. After what could have been seconds, minutes, hours, or years, she stood up, slipped on her sandals and walked down to her garden.

She had been working on this particular garden for ten years now. It was filled to bursting with every imaginable flower. The servants had taken to referring to it as "Rin's Garden". It was the place where Lord Sesshoumaru always first greeted her, and often gave her gifts, too. She plodded on into the green paradise hiking her kimono up to save it from the dew.

And there he was, sitting on the stone bench that he always sat on. He wasn't looking her way, but that definitely did not mean he was unaware of her presence. To turn back now was to be revealed as the child she no longer was. So she continued forward with resolve. When she got within 20 yards he finally looked her way. She tried to contain her blush but she could feel her face and neck flush.

He was surely a god. To look upon him caused her to shudder. And there she went, humiliating herself further. While attempting hot to hyperventilate or vomit she took another few steps till she reached what she believed to be a politely submissive distance and stopped. Normally she would not even think of such things and would march over jubilantly to sit by him. But in light of the mornings revelations she dared not approach him. After a moment of struggle she managed a smile, but it definitely did not reach her eyes.

"Sit." He said with a quiet commanding voice.

Rin complied instantly. She never disobeyed him. Well, that is if one didn't count her illicit love him as disobedience. The stone bench was cold enough for her to feel it through her kimono. He seemed unfazed by her racing heart even though she knew that he heard it.

"Um… so… h-how did your campaigning go, Lord Sesshoumaru?" She sputtered anxiously.

"You need not be concerned over that." He replied simply.

Rin felt momentarily slighted by this dismissal, it was true that it wasn't her business, but she was always concerned over her Lord's success in securing his empire. She swallowed her hurt and turned her attention to a nearby rosebush.

"Your garden is flourishing." Lord Sesshoumaru commented.

"It is."

She watched silently as Lord Sesshoumaru plucked a full bloom from the nearest bush. It was a fine rose, wine red and richly scented. He seemed to be deep in thought as he rolled the flower in his hands admiring it this way and that. She felt sweat gathering at the small of her back as he brought it to his nose. He inhaled deeply of its heady fragrance before setting it down in between them.

"There was a time, Rin, when I had no appreciation for flowers." He said softly, making her breath hitch. "I saw them as silly decorations, useless, fleeting things. They bloom and die so quickly. A million flowers have come and gone while I remain."

Rin tried not to betray her surprise, but she knew it was useless. She bit her bottom lip as he continued.

"But time has passed and I have come to see them in a different light. They may be short-lived, but they are more beautiful in the short time they are around than many long lived things are. They may be for decoration, but life would be that much more dim and dank for their loss. Even if a firework is gone in a second, is it not more spectacular in its one moment than almost anything?" He mused in a soft rumble.

"I believe so, My Lord." She whispered.

"The thing about flowers and fireworks is that if you enjoy them for the moment they are around, then you can truly appreciate their beauty."

He was silent then, sitting in the garden looking at the blooms all around him. Rin had thoroughly chewed her lip by this time and was beginning to see that this wasn't just your average chat about the flora and fauna. She realized that to him, as everlasting and bleak as the moon, she was nothing but a firework, an instantaneous blip, brilliant but gone in an instant. To his ancient tree she was but one budding flower, doomed to wither in a moment. A stray tear rolled down her cheek.

"Rin, I have fought this revelation more than you know, but I cannot outrun it. Now that I see it I may never go back." Lord Sesshoumaru said in the same quiet tones as he had been using. "I have watched you grow up and have never ceased being amazed by the zest and audacity you have. I have protected you and cared for you all the while not knowing just why it was that I did so. But you have grown now into a woman, a beautiful one."

Rin's heart was beating wildly like a bird caught beneath her ribcage. Her Lord, the man she'd loved since the moment she set eyes upon said she was beautiful… She wasn't sure what he meant by it yet, but it was all enough to make her feel a little faint.

"I see that it is time for you to take a husband and to have children. Many humans of your age already have both. I have told myself to go to a village and to barter for you a marriage with some great son of some human lord, that you may take a place as a great Lady." He said, careful not to meet her eyes.

Rin was overtaken with anxiety at this last admission, how could she leave her only love?

"But I have not within me the power to do so, even if I know it is what you deserve." He said weakly. He turned on the stone bench and finally met her eyes. In his was a darkness she'd not yet seen in all their years together, it was like a hope, or a doubt. "I know that if I give you away that I will miss the explosion of the firework and the opening of that blossom. And I cannot reconcile myself with that. I have become more attached to this particular flower than I'd like to admit. You, Rin, are the most precious of flowers, and I can't send you away, for that would mean that the flower would go to some other man." He whispered gruffly.

Rin drew in a sharp breath, could he possibly mean what she hoped he did?

"And though I know that I do not deserve it, that I am a Demon, a killer of your kind, a monster. You deserve a human male to call your mate. But you have led me to hope, to wildly guess that you may be willing to spend your precious moments with me. Rin, could you consider blessing me with the rest of your life? Would you be my wife, my lover, my flower?" He asked, his voice weak and full of emotions she'd only hoped to hear in it.

She was left breathless by his question, but wasted none of her brief life in answering his questions. She leapt into his arms and captured his lips in her own. He seemed truly shocked at her assault but responded positively quickly enough, his lips activated beneath her own with surprising fervor. And so it was that in her garden she became the luckiest flower there.


	19. If You Please

Title: If You Please

Summary: Rin tells Sesshoumaru she wants to leave him. (Warning: Sesshoumaru threatens to cross the line of in-character at the end, but hey, even serious writers like me like to add some adorability to Sess on occasion… I still think it's cute.)

* * *

It was a morning like any other. They woke at dawn, ate, and moved on. Jakken was predictably grouchy, muttering about some such thing. The Autumnal winds were bringing crisp, woodsy scents to Sesshoumaru's nose and he was as content as he ever was. With all of his charges, Rin, Jakken, and AhUn, closely tailing him, he felt replete. The trails were clear and lying open before him. 

Yes, it was truly a nice day for the journey that they took annually across the borders of the Western Lands. Spring's mud wasn't up to their calves and summer's heat wasn't breathing down their necks, nor was winter's deathly embrace yet upon them. Fall was the most enjoyable season in their trek and it was pleasantly bearing down on them.

Rin had been quiet that morning, though he couldn't expect her to gibber every morning. She was quiet on the rare occasion. He could only imagine that she had her own thoughts to attend to on such mornings. It had been ten years since she had joined them and she had to be rising eighteen, he'd be doing her a disservice by assuming she never had her own thoughts.

Still, it was strangely unsettling. She normally felt the need to project her every single thought on the entire group, whether it be on her opinion of the neighboring village or of the status of her bladder, she shared. So it was hard to imagine what kind of thoughts she felt it necessary to keep to herself. It didn't bother him, but he found himself wondering what it could be she was thinking of.

But he was being more irrational than normal. It was a wonderful fall day and Rin deserved time in her own confidence. Sesshoumaru took in a deep breath and began sorting through the many smells in order to distract himself… Yes, a raccoon-dog… one old human… male it seems… a few insect demons: none strong enough to bother Rin… a patch of violets… Rin would surely see them soon… Pine needles…

"Violets!" Rin called, breaking her silence.

Sesshoumaru stopped and watched the unnecessarily excited young woman pounce on the thatch of purple flowers. She took only a moment, not even stopping them long enough for Jakken to squawk disapproval. When she stood up she was stroking one long violet against her cheek. Her eyes were strangely misty. His hand leapt to the hilt of his sword in response to this oddly alarming stimulus but letting it drop instantly, watching her.

"Lord Sesshoumaru?" Rin asked with tears in her voice.

"Yes?" He asked, trying to keep the anxiety blooming in his chest from affecting his voice.

"I…" She choked. "I want to leave." She begged with tears in her eyes.

"We will leave immediately; I only assumed you wished to stop for the flowers." He replied as evenly as possible, though he feared his dismay was written plainly on his face.

"No…" She cried miserably. "That isn't what I mean… I meant I want to leave _you_. I want to go to a village."

Any words he was thinking of got caught in his throat, unable to surface in response. She wanted to leave _him_? Why? Did she finally realize how dangerous he was, that he was a monster? Was the traveling too hard on her? Was Jakken picking on her too much? Had she—oh, and wasn't this the most horrifying question of all—fallen in love?

"…Well of course then, I will take you to the nearest village. I am afraid the closest one is over a day away by foot, we'll have to take AhUh." He said shakily.

He grabbed the beast's reins and waited for Rin to mount before sitting a polite distance behind her, afraid to touch her. He could smell the thick salty tears rolling down her face. Hadn't she always wanted to be with him? Though he had known better than to expect that she'd stay for long after she was grown. And she was a beautiful maiden now, the envy of every male. She had grown much faster than he'd expected, her body proudly stated that she was fully grown; her warm, flowery scent beckoned him and her curves spoke of her readiness.

AhUn flew into the skies having already gleaned their destination from the conversation. They had left Jakken standing below looking stricken. The toad would miss Rin more than he'd ever admit. And the dragon too, even now the two-headed beast was flying at less than half speed. Sesshoumaru didn't have it in him to scold it.

Even at half speed they were near the village alarmingly fast. AhUn had touched down before Sesshoumaru had even begun formulating a game plan. They landed in a vast clover field a way outside the village border. Rin slid off the dragon's back and began stroking it's two heads. It was crying in low growls. Sesshoumaru got off and stood silently for a bit.

"Why are you leaving?" He said suddenly. "You don't have to answer." He added quickly.

She turned to look at him and gave him one of those soul-touching smiles of hers despite the fact that tears were steadily streaming down her face.

"I need more." She whispered. "I need love. I love _you _but it isn't enough." She loved him?

"The dragon loves you." He said hoping it didn't sound pleading or contrived.

"That isn't what I meant." She said with a hiccough. "It still isn't enough."

"Jakken loves you." He added hopelessly.

"Ha, I suppose so, in his own way. I love him too in mine. But that isn't what I am talking about. I want someone to love me with their whole heart… a mate, a man, children." She explained, bringing her hands together over her heart.

"Oh." He replied as stoically as he could manage.

"I am sorry, I had… I had hoped…" She said with a sob.

"Hoped what?" He asked.

"Oh, never mind, I couldn't have ever expected…" She whispered.

"Expected what?" He asked.

"No, nothing, really." She said dismissively. "I am sorry. I can never thank you enough. I will always love you." She said as she began to turn towards the village.

His heart immediately took up residence in his throat. She, his Rin who had been with him for a decade, was walking away from him never to return. And she was walking towards a future with a different man guiding it, not him.

"Wait." He said so softly he was worried she wouldn't hear him.

She stopped in her tracks and turned slowly with great pain in her features.

"You ask for only three things, correct?" He asked.

"Yes." She responded curiously.

"A mate, a man, and children." He continued. "Well, I can give you two of those. The other I can't, for I am no man, but Rin, if you would be willing to settle for two out of three then you don't have to leave."

She froze for a moment which thoroughly alarmed him. He worried she would be disgusted or angry at his suggestion. It had daunted him as well; he had not seen it coming any clearer than she had… probably less. He was anxious that perhaps he wasn't as sure as he sounded, that he was being rash, but the moment it passed his lips he realized he'd never meant anything more.

"You… you would… I mean, me?" She gasped.

"Happily, if you please." He admitted, allowing tendrils of emotion to flow into his face.

A strange emotion took hold in her face. It frightened him for all the beauty it held. Her lips curved up in a glorious smile that took a wry turn.

"Prove it." She said.

"Prove it?" Sesshoumaru asked, deliriously happy at the way her scent had just changed, it had gone from bitterly scented pain to a new, spicy scent that he had very rarely smelled from her: lust.

He leapt across the clearing using his demon speed to full advantage, she would have her mischief but not without his own. He stopped centimeters before her and looked down in her eyes. They weren't horrified or angry but just simply beatific. He allowed his mouth to curve into a rare smile and lowered it to hers pressing a sweet, chaste kiss on her mouth. He was very surprised by her response, which was to throw her arms around him and throw herself on him. It was the good kind of surprise.

"So, you'll stay?" He asked against her lips.

"If you please." She teased.

"I please." He growled playfully. Playfully? When was he playful? Well, he supposed he was as of 14 seconds ago when her lips met his.

"Well then I suppose we ought to get back to Jakken, if he loves me so much." She laughed.

"I love you, too." He said huskily.

"I know, but do you more than AhUn?" She asked with a smile.

"If they love you more than I do, then they are doing a marvelous job not exploding." He added. She giggled.

"I love you, too. Let's go back." She said joyously as she took his hand in hers.


	20. Sweet Weakness

AN: I'm back again. It's taking me a minute to get me rear in gear because everthing was lost on my laptop. AGAIN!!! But just so you know I'm actually back, here's a nice short. For some reason, I can't seem to feel satisfied with it. Maybe I've just been out of the saddle too long. I don't know. But I think it's at least a little cute and maybe I will come back later and try to get it just right. For now, bear with me. At least it's long, right?

Warning: There is a little bit of gore in this one. But just blood. No guts.

Title: Sweet Weakness

Summary: A disheartened Sesshoumaru gives up in more ways than one.

* * *

With a quiet thump Sesshoumaru landed in the castle courtyard. As blood dripped from his claws he collapsed. Seriously injured, again, he thought with great irritation. Yet this time it was worse because he had been injured not by his brother, but on his brother's behalf. Why had he saved the half-breed from Naraku? He could have easily taken Naraku out while his brother was slain. But in a haze of half-formed frenzied thoughts he had stepped in and deflected it while taking heavy damage.

He staggered to his feet once more. Perhaps he was just as weak as his father.

"Sesshoumaru!" Jakken's fearful voice echoed though the courtyard.

He ignored the imp and limped into his castle.

"Lord Sesshoumaru, you're injured!" Jakken wailed at the bloody sight of him.

Sesshoumaru pushed through him and forged on to his chambers.

"You must bandage your wounds! You are bleeding everywhere!"

"There is no need." Sesshoumaru seethed.

If he was so weak, he would just die from his wounds. His death is what he deserved. Perhaps that would be the best way to end his humiliation.

* * *

Rin awoke suddenly to the sound of many scuffling feet running down the hallways. This immediately alarmed her because it was the middle of the night and, by her Lord's preference, things were ususally kept silent as much as possible even during the day. Such a ruckus would not be made lightly by the staff.

Ever since she had grown into a young woman, her Lord had insisted she remain at his keep. This greatly disappointed her because he was rarely there. But she could not deny the increased attacks she incited just by being a fully grown woman. Demons just seemed to enjoy endangering her life. And that was more of a distraction than Lord Sesshoumaru needed. So she lived here and cherished the times he was here. This, though, was definitely odd.

Throwing back the covers on her futon, she leapt up and slid on an outer robe. It was cold in the great keep, especially at night. Upon slamming her sliding paper door open she saw a startling sight of dozens of imps running back and forth. Many were holding various packets of herbs and linens. She gathered herself and grabbed one up by the collar.

"Oh, Miss Rin! You'll have to excuse me, I have urgent business to attend to!" The little old woman imp she grabbed squealed.

"Yes, in a second. Where is Lord Jakken?" She asked as politely as you can to a tiny green monster you are holding up by the collar.

"He's in the Great Hall, just outside the Lord's chambers!" Just then a great crash sounded and all the imps scurried along even faster. "I have to go!" She wailed.

Rin dropped the imp and swallowed a lump in her throat. Only one thing could cause a crash that loud. Lord Sesshoumaru. Specifically, an angry Lord Sesshoumaru. She took off with sudden resolve in the same direction as most of the imps, towards the Great Hall, a multi-purpose room that was large enough to house a dragon and was usually used for banquets and to recieve royal guests. Notably, it was also adjacent to Lord Sesshoumaru's private chambers.

As she got closer she noticed a very alarming sight. There was blood everywhere. Pools of it. And it sizzled faintly, so she knew it was a powerful demon's blood. From the look of it, there was much more than could logically fit in just one body. But then, demons rarely adhered to logic.

The sight that greeted her in the Great Hall was frantic. The long, mahogany tables were piled with different medicinal supplies. Bandages, herbs, and poultices were strewn everywhere. And there were more imps gathered around than she even knew worked in the castle. The looks on their faces did not bode well. There panicked jibbering rang in her ears. Just as she was trying to figure out what to do and where to go, another loud crash resounded around the hall and she saw the source of it was a tiny, charred green imp sailing through the air after being thrown violently out of the Lord's chambers. It was Jakken and she immediately made her way to where he landed.

Luckily, there were a large amount of medical supplies around to see to Jakken's burns. But the little toad was having none of it, in fact he was irrate. Rin ignored his stammering protests and slathered ointment on his burnt head.

"Lady Rin! Lady Rin!" He gasped incoherently.

"Jakken, what on earth is going on? What is the matter with Lord Sesshoumaru?" She asked while trying unsuccessfully to remain calm.

"He's injured! Terribly! And he won't accept treatment. Everytime I bring him bandages or try to tend to his wounds, he throws me out! I don't know what to do!" Jakken wailed pitifully.

"How bad is it, exactly?" She asked, afraid to know the answer.

"It is very bad. He is losing too much blood. And all his struggling with me and the others has made him weaker. He is no longer reasonable, he is becoming more like a wounded animal that strikes out at whatever comes near him! He has killed dozens of servants and if I go back, I believe he will kill me. He barely even knows me anymore." Jaken said with defeat written on his every wrinkle.

Rin could barely breathe. Could her Lord truly be injured that badly? She had thought him invincible. Or at least close enough. To think of losing him... She couldn't do it. She would have to live among humans again because it wouldn't take but a moment for a new, terrible demon to take over Sesshoumaru's lands. But much worse than that, he would be gone from her.

"I will go in there and try to tend to him." She said shakily.

"Absolutely not, you will be killed." Jakken said sternly.

"Maybe, but I will not sit by and wait for him to die." She said with power in her voice she didn't feel.

She had to try. She couldn't imagine living without him.

"Help me pry open the doors, I'm not strong enough." She cried out into the frentic hall.

The little imps stopped suddenly and mulled over her words. With a look to Jakken, who seemed resigned to allowing this, due to his great love of Lord Sesshoumaru, they began trying to pry open the heavy stone doors. Meanwhile she grabbed armfuls full of every kind of herb, bandage, powder, and poultice she could. Within a few minutes, they had it pried open enough for her slim form to squeeze in.

If she thought there was a lot of blood outside, she was wrong. Compared to inside, that blood was just a drop. Dark blood stained almost every surface. The carpets were soaked with it and the walls were sprayed with it. She knew now that Jakken had not been exaggerating. Her Lord was indeed very seriously injured. She swallowed her fear and anguish and followed the blood into his inner chamber where he slept.

She barely dared to look inside, but when she did, she found him collapsed in pile against the edge of the bed. He was oozing black blood and his eyes shone dark red. His worst wound seemed to be the one that gashed down his left side. But he had many other cuts besides that one. His head flicked up when he heard her footsteps but his eyes didn't focus on her.

"Jakken, I told you if you came back I would kill you and I meant it. Come closer and I will slice you down the middle, only this time I have not the strength or desire to revive you." He said in an angry snarl.

"It's not Jakken, My Lord. It's Rin." She said softly. At this he turned his head towards her but couldn't see her with his blinded bloody red eyes.

"Rin." He murmured. "Get out of here, Rin. You do not belong here." He said darkly.

"Yes I do. My Lord is injured and I will see to his wounds." She continued calmly as she slid a few steps closer.

"No, leave me." He snapped.

"No. You will die." She said firmly.

"Yes, I know. Now leave me!" He yelled as a trickle of blood ran down his lips.

"You will have to kill me first, my Lord." She said as she gathered her courage and stepped close enough to touch him.

"I will kill you if I have to." He seethed.

"As you please, my Lord." She replied shakily as she took out some bandages and began to untie his kimono shirt.

He growled fiercely and grabbed her forearms.

"I will die from my weakness, I have no wish to live a weak demon!" He howled, half-crazed with blood-loss.

"You are not weak, whatever gave you that idea?" She asked, enduring the piercing of his claws.

"I lost a battle to save my filthy half-breed brother!" He snarled.

"Is that it, then? My Lord, it is not a weakness to love!" She yelled back.

"I have no love for that worthless half-blood!" He bellowed as his claws sunk deep into her flesh.

She screamed out and he eased his grip. Her blood dripped down slowly to mingle with his own.

"Tell me, why are you here? Why do you care if I die?" He bellowed.

"Because I love you! That's why!" She screamed.

She cried out in pain again and instantly he dropped her. At the sight and smell of her blood he passed out. Rin wrapped her shredded flesh in her sleeves and ran back to the door.

"Hurry, he's asleep! Treat as much as you can as quickly as you can!" She yelled out to the imps. As soon as the words left her mouth she passed out. She had lost more blood than she realized.

* * *

When he awoke he found himself to be in his own bed and wrapped in bandages. The windows were open and bright light filtered in. He did not die. Why? He had wished to end his weakness. He remembered refusing the imps' treatments and killing all who disobeyed. Why was he not dead? He had scorched Jakken and thrown him out on threat of death. Then it came back to him. He had nearly been gone at the time. Rin. Rin had come in and refused to leave on pain of death.

An unfamiliar sense of guilt flooded him when he recalled his demon-rage filled actions. He had injured her. Had he killed her? He remembered the tangy scent of her blood. He could not imagine his demon-rage having enough restraint to leave her alive. Either way, he had eventually passed out. If she was dead... He shook his sore head. He would kill whatever imps had saved him after he had lost a battle he shouldn't have and then killed an innocent, if foolish, young girl.

He laid back and waited for Jakken's inevitable arrival.

In a light doze he finally heard footsteps and saw the expected sight of the little green toad with bandages all over his head. Lord Sesshoumaru curled his lip. This was another servant who took more abuse than he probably should. What he did to deserve the loyalty, he could not say.

"My Lord! You're awake!" The toad stammered and dropped his tray of herbal medicines.

"Yes, but you won't be much longer for disobeying my orders." Sesshoumaru growled in what was most likely an empty threat.

"It wasn't me, my Lord, it was Rin!" The toad stammered.

Sesshoumaru lowered his head. He must truly be weak to be feeling such intense guilt over one human life.

"You should have kept her away." He admonished harshly, making Jakkens little hairs stand on end.

"I know, my Lord. I am sorry for what happened to her. It was my duty to see to you." Jakken said softly.

"Have you buried her yet?" Sesshoumaru asked quietly, removing all emotion from his voice. "

"Buried? Why would we bury her? Is that the punishment you wish to take on her?" The toad asked, clearly quite confulsed.

"She lives?" Sesshoumaru asked, unable to maintain his icy coolness.

"Yes, she was injured, but she is expected to be fine in a few weeks."

"Oh." He replied.

Injured but not dead? How badly injured? He couldn't imagine her lovely face scarred and maimed.

He relented and allowed the toad to apply whatever ointments and bandages he wished. The toad vacated the room as quickly as possible, clearly surprised to be living. Sesshoumaru relaxed and allowed sleep to overcome him once again. He had truly been close to death. He would need time to even be able to leave his room.

When he awoke it was to the sound of quiet humming and the faint smell of flowers that was overpowered by the smell of herbs and medicines. He peeled open his eyes and saw a sight that brought unexpected happiness to him. Rin was by the window arranging a vase full of wildflowers. From the back, he could not see her injuries, but he cringed all the same.

"My Lord, you're awake!" She exclaimed cheerfully when she turned around.

He still couldn't see any injury until she reached up and her kimono sleeve fell away from her arm revealing bandages wrapped around her forearm. Faint traces of blood could been seen through the bandage and he could recognize the pattern of his claws. He turned away from her quickly.

"I am so happy you are recovering." She said softly with overly full eyes.

"Are you alright?" He managed.

"Oh?" She said. Then she looked down to her arms. "You did not mean to, you were hurt. I will be fine" She replied brightly.

Frankly, she amazed him. What the hell was she even doing with him? Especially now that he hurt her.

"Why did you do it? I could have easily killed you. I barely knew myself." He said very quietly.

"You saved me many times, Lord Sesshoumaru." She replied easily.

"Not at my own personal risk."

"I believe you would, if you had too." She replied crisply as she picked up a pot of vile smelling medicinal ooze.

"I am a demon, Rin. You are a human. You die much easier." He asserted.

"Obviously. I've already died once." She joked before removing a bandage and smearing the goo on the gash beneath. Her ministrations had obviously been doing some good. His wound was already pink on the edges.

"What is that?" He asked.

"Just something I concocted. I learned the herb lore from one of the imps. I have to do something while you're away, after all." She replied with a smile.

He had nearly killed her and there she was smiling at him, even making him feel guilty for leaving her alone for so long. What was wrong with her? A sensible human would have set eyes on him and immediately run far, far away. Not her. Here she was rubbing ointment on his gash after he had hurt her. For some reason, he did not enjoy having her see him so weak. But there was little choice now. He didn't dare send her away after she had risked so much.

"Do you remember what we talked about?" She asked in almost a whisper.

"Not really." He replied curiously as dissappointment filled her eyes.

"Oh." She sunk a little. "Well, I just wanted you to know that you aren't weak. You're the strongest being I've ever met. And just because you do things because you care doesn't make you weak, it makes you strong." She whispered.

"Ha, should I feel better just because a human thinks I'm strong? Emotion is weakness, nothing more." He laughed bitterly.

"Are you saying that when you first revived me, it was just weakness?" She asked, emotion flaring in her features.

"Every moment I allow you to stay with me is weakness, I have had a decade of weakness on your part!" He said cruelly, upset at himself.

At the sight of her face he knew he had made an error. Saddness, anger and most promeniently, pain, shone in tears streaming down her face. She quickly and precisly applied the bandage and as quickly and quietly as the wind, she ran out of the room.

He didn't see her again. Jakken became his full-time nurse and unfortunately, his only companion. He felt feelings that he hadn't really ever felt to this extent before. Guilt, mainly. She had risked her life for him and then he had basically forsaken her. Really all she had ever done was try to help, even as a child gathering food he didn't need to eat and water he didn't need to drink. And even though there was little she could do, she did try. After all, he had allowed her to stay. She had kept his castle running neater than it ever had before. And his gardens were now full of flowers and she had apparently been making medicines.

What was the worst were his dreams. All night he had the same terrible dream. He was fully transformed and badly wounded an angelic Rin tried to come to him. When she did he grabbed her up and asked why she had come. Every time he heard her voice crystal clear "Because I love you, that's why!" she would scream and then his dream self would rip her apart.

It was weeks before he gathered up the courage to ask Jakken about her.

"How does Lady Rin fare?" He asked casually in the same manner he may have asked a hundred times before when he would return to the castle.

The look on Jakken's face did very little to ease him. Rather, it did quite the opposite. Green sweat instantly broke out on the toad's broad head, now mainly healed. And his mouth twisted in a few half-formed statements before he finally spoke.

"Ah, My Lord. Lady Rin... ah, well... she left the castle the night after my Lord woke up..." Jakken stammered.

Sesshoumaru grabbed him up by the collar.

"And why did you not see fit to tell me this?" Sesshoumaru growled.

"Well, you were healing, and I didn't want to slow the process by bothering you. She began to pack after meeting with my Lord, I had thought she had left on orders..." The toad said very quietly.

Sesshoumaru dropped him. It was not the toad's fault she had left, even if he should have mentioned it. Not for a minute had he imagined Rin would actually leave. He had thought she was just avoiding him and would stay with him, as she always did.

"Did she say where she was going?" He asked.

"She mentioned something about finding a human village." Jakken replied.

"I must go to her." Sesshoumaru declared suddenly and threw off his blankets.

"No, my Lord! You are too badly hurt! Traveling will open it all back up and you will lose more blood! You could still die. Besides, I'm sure she's fine. She's probably better off!" Jakken pleaded.

"If she wishes to stay there, she will. But I must see her." Sesshoumaru said as he lurched to his feet and ordered the toad to help dress him.

* * *

Rin was gathering berries with a number of young women who were her new friends. The little village on the outskirts of the woods surrounding the castle was a prosperous one, mainly because other demons refused to come this close to Lord Sesshoumaru's castle, but also because there was an abundance of resources in the area. At first she had been nervous, but a beautiful healthy young woman is not usually turned away from a small village.

They had been concerned about her past, her wounds, and mainly about the direction she had arrived from, but her friendly smiles and generosity had soothed them quickly enough. She couldn't say she was happy, necessarily. She missed the imps and their silliness. She missed the beauty of the castle. But mainly, she missed Lord Sesshoumaru. She missed catching haunting glimspes of him in the moonlight. She missed his extremely rare wry smiles. She missed everything about him.

But it had been several weeks, and she was beginning to believe she could get through the homesickness. The villagers were kind and full of laughs. And she never wanted for attention. She would never forget Sesshoumaru or stop loving him. But she could possibly move on. She hoped she could, anyway.

Just as she found a particularlly plump berry that she was planning on eating herself, she heard screams from her fellow villagers. When she looked up, she saw something careening out of the sky.

"Demon!" The women screamed as they ran away.

A few tried to grab her and pull her to safety, but some sick sense of curiostiy kept her there. The cloud careening through the sky was somewhat familiar. A fluttering in her chest sent her running towards the source. Her fellow horrified villagers stood back and watched.

As she ran forward she was shocked to see it was Sesshoumaru. And indeed, he was not healed enough to be out. His wounds had split open and blood stained his beautiful kimono. He collapsed in the field when he saw her running forward. The emotions flooding her were overwhelming. Why had he come? Especially in such a condition. She ran forward and kneeled at his side. He was breathing heavily.

"Lord Sesshoumaru! What are you doing out of bed?" She asked.

The villagers were astonished and horrified that she was familiar with the demon. They backed away from her slowly and fled back to the village.

"You left the castle." He said quietly.

"Well, of course. I'm just a burden to you." She replied angrily.

"That is not what I said..." He trailed off.

"Yes it is. I risk my life for you, tell you my feelings for you, and the next thing you do is tell me I am nothing but a weakness." She said, now quite upset.

"Your feelings, what do you mean your feelings?" He asked as she applied pressure to his bleeding wound.

"You really don't remember? Maybe that's for the best. You still believe love is a weakness, after all..." She said as tears rolled down her cheeks.

"The dream..." He whispered. "Do you truly love me? Why?"

"Of course I love you." She said loudly. "Why wouldn't I?"

"I am a demon. I have no love to give you back." He said as she began ripping fabric from her yukata to wrap his side with.

"Yes you do. You would not have saved me or your brother so many times if you had no love. Why are you here now, as hurt as you are, if you have no love for me. But if you can't love me the way I love you, I understand. It is too much to ask for you to love me like a man loves a woman, the way I need you to... but I will always love you. I will stay here, though. Because this love I have for you causes me pain for it is unrequited." She said softly.

"Rin, will you come back to the castle with me?" He asked suddenly.

She sat back with surprise on her face. He was so weak before her now, lying in the grass. She indulged herself and ran her fingers through his hair. It was so soft and silky. To her great astonishment, he allowed her. And she went on to trace his lips with her fingers. He said nothing about this, but there was a softness in his eyes that reassured her.

"I can't go back to the castle and wait for you all the time. It hurts too much. I love you too much for that." She whispered as she lowered her face to his forehead and felt the soft skin there with her lips.

He hadn't rebuked her, or laughed at her yet, so she tenderly kissed him on the pale purple moon on his forehead.

"Come back with me. I won't leave you." He said.

"But you do not love me. Not in the way I need you too." She breathed into his ear.

She gasped as, slowly with great consideration and ponderance, he wrapped his arm around her and pulled her close. His blood smeared all over her, but it didn't stop him. He pulled her down and gave her a soft kiss on the mouth. As he pulled back he appeared to be savoring the taste, finding it to be sweet.

"I have denied myself love all my life long. My mother lost my father to a human, so I denied myself love for her. My father died for his second son, so I denied myself love for him. I could not allow myself love for my half-brother, because he took my father away. I think you, Rin, I will allow myself. Your love is a sweet weakness I do not believe I can avoid. I would be dead without it. Perhaps it is not a weakness. Perhaps it is a strength. Either way, I do love you in the way you need me to and every other." He said softly before kissing her again. "Will you come back?"

"Yes, yes, yes!" She said euphorically. "I shall show you how strong love is."

After a few minutes in each other's arms, they saw the great dragon Ah-Un, and Jakken land a ways off in the field.

"My Lord, are you alright?" Jakken asked, clearly dismayed at the sight of them.

"Yes. I just need to get back in bed. Help me on the dragon." Sesshoumaru said.

After making it on the dragon under mainly his own power, they all took off. The villagers were gathered under them. Half of them were afraid, half were waving, confused, but friendly. It was a short flight to the castle, but Rin spent it joyously with her arms around Sesshoumaru. When they landed, a legion of imps helped them all into the castle and Rin and Jakken saw to it that Sesshoumaru was once again settled into his giant bed and wrapped in fresh bandages.

"Alright, Lady Rin, Lord Sesshoumaru has been seen to. Now we can retire to our chambers and give him some time to rest. I will help you reorder your chambers since you shall be staying with us again. I'm afraid everything has gathered some dust." Jakken said imperiously.

"No, you may go. But I want Lady Rin to stay with me. You may bring her things here." Sesshoumaru said, sending new thrills through her heart.

Jakken's jaw flapped open, but he did manage to find his way out of the door even though his eyes appeared to be glued to Rin's smiling face.

"Is there something I can do for you, Lord Sesshoumaru?" Rin asked after he left.

"You don't have to call me Lord anymore." He said. "Aside from that, just come up here and lay next to me so I know you are here while I sleep." He said as he pulled her gently on the bed.

He was very tired, but he stayed awake for a few moments to run his hand down her side, clearly fascinated by the tactile sensations she was giving him. She gently layed on the side opposite the gash and nuzzled in close to him. His breaths started to come deeper and more evenly and she knew he was asleep. She lay awake for some time just enjoying her feelings and the smoothness of his chest. But eventually sleep overtook her too and she dreamed many sweet dreams of what would come when he felt better.


End file.
